LIBRARY 

UNiVERsmr  of 

CALIFORNIA 
SAN 


V 


FRIENDS,  WHEN  YOU  DO  THKSE  VERSKS   READ. 
IF  YOUR  HEARTS  HOLD  BUT  A  SMALL  SEED 
OF  TOLERANCE,  MAY  CHARITY 
CAUSE  YOU  THEREIN  SOME  TRUTH  TO  SEE. 


BY 


ANDREW  J.  ARTHUR. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  J  899, 

by  ANDREW  J.  ARTHUR, 
in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


r,  1hese  lines  |  dedicate  tc  thee; 
a,  thai  if  in  them  you  eppor  find, 
©•'our  tjioeat  charity  will  sause  vjou  to  see 
^Therein  a  deep  purpose  to  help  the  blind. 

Andrew  gj. 


I 

The  golden  sun  was  just  sinking  behind  the  high 
peaks 

Of  the  mighty  mountain  range  which  so  silently 
speaks, 

From  the  solemn  stillness,  of  its  long  genera 
tion  ; 

And  how  it  was  evolved  from  the  dawn  of 
creation. 

The    earth    seemed    bathed    in    bright    effulgent 

streaming 
From  dying  Aurora,  whose  heart  with   gladness 

seeming 


2  Lingering  Echoes. 

To    speak    to    man    of    eternal    life    laid    up    in 

store, 
When  we  shall  sink  behind  the  mount  that  shuts 

out  earth's  shore. 

A  lesson  we  catch  from  the  fast  grandly  sinking 

sun, 
Smiling    sweetly,  though    seeming    its  course  is 

almost  run ; 
An    example    for    man,  as    he    passes    out    of 

sight 
Of  mortal  view,  to  leave    behind    an    effulgence 

bright ; 

Which  can  be  done  by  ever  just    and    righteous 

living, 
And    to    saint    and    sinner  your  love  to  both  be 

giving; 
For  'tis  said  by  the  Sage  of  old,  which  is  true,  we 

trust, 
That  the  sun  shines  on  the  wicked,  as  well  as  the 

just. 


Lingering  Echoes.  3 

I   your   pardon    would    ask    for   this    digression 

making; 
To    help  it  I  could    not,   my    heart    was    gently 

shaking, 
While  thinking  how  great  the  reward  of  a  Christ - 

like  life 
On  the  strand  where  heavenly  love  will    banish 

all  strife. 

Now  back  to  my  story,  which  I  will  so  gladly 

tell, 
Which  relates  back  to  the  time  before  light  on  man 

fell; 
Yes,  in  the  age  far  away,  when  God  atoms  did 

take 
Man  in  perfect  God -like  nature  to  evolve  and 

make. 

To  catch  the  thread  of  my  story,  I  will  to  you 

say 
That  we  had  stopped  to  camp  at  the  close  of  that 

day, 


4  Lingering  Echoes. 

When  a  mild  bright -looking  youth  rode  up  and 

did  alight, 
While  his  gentle  eyes  glancing  westward,  drank 

the  grand  sight. 

Our  horses  were  grazing  on  the  golden  grass  so 

sweet, 
By  the  brook  whose  gentle  murmuring  our  ears 

did  greet, 
When  the  stranger,  approaching  us  then  with  real 

good  cheer, 
Did  a  night's    rest  and  comfort  humbly  ask  us 

to  share. 

To  dwell  in  the  mountains  more  love  in  the  heart 

does  plant, 
So,   without    dull    forms,   we    the    young    man's 

request  did  grant. 
He  partook  of  our  supper,  looking  heavenward 

first, 
While  his  tired  steed  from  the  brooklet  quenched 

its  thirst. 


Lingering  Echoes.  5 

Our  meal  being  over,  now  gathered  the  twilight 

Rray, 
A  soft  touch  did  then  fall  o'er  us  like  a  minstrel's 

lay; 
Our  strange  guest  raised  his  eyes,  as  if  something 

he'd  say, 
While    the    light    of    ages    o'er    his  face  seemed 

to  play. 

In    soft    accents,     which     seemed    all    ages    to 

unite, 
His    words  fell  on  the  air  of  the  fast    gathering 

night, 
As    he    said:      Grand,    beautiful     mountain,     I 

remember 
When  you  were  a  barren  waste  without  grass  or 

timber. 

The  stranger  looking  up  quickl}7  with  sweet  tendei 
eyes, 

He  said,  pardon  me,  I  seemed  to  apostro 
phise. 


6  Lingering  Echoes. 

Though    I    did    not,  for    you    continue    ever    to 

be, 
A  part  of  my  thoughts,  which  when  you  know  me 

you  will  see. 

I  have    also  a  romance  of    these    mountains    to 

tell, 
But  first  I  will  disclose  who  I  arn  and  where  I 

dwell : 
So  that  more  plainly  you  will    then  understand 

and  know, 
The  full  truth  of  the  facts    which    through    my 

story  I'll  show. 

First  I  will  say,  so  that  you   will  my  ideas  see 

plain, 
And  I  hope  you  will  not  take  me  in  the  least  to 

be  vain, 
That  I  existed  before  the  world    had    shape    or 

form , 
Far  back  past  the  time  when  these  cliffs   faced 

their  first  storm. 


Lingering  Echoes. 

I     was     with     the     Father    a    spiritual     being 

then, 
And  so  I  through  the  slow  revolving  aeons  had 

been, 
My   purpose  with  God  on  other  planets  besides 

this, 
I'll  not  tell,   for  you'd    not  understand,   'twould 

be  amiss. 

I  will  come  quickly,  without  much  detail,  to  the 

time 
When    the   Father    put    in    action    his    purpose 

sublime", 
To    set    laws    moving    all    things    animate    to 

evolve, 
And,  through  triumph  of  His  Spirit,  man  from  sin 

to  absolve. 


Lingering  Echoes. 


II 

Karth  from  gaseous  vapor,  condensed,  first  took 

crude  shape, 
Then  the  great  rocks  in  cooling  in   mist   began 

to  drape, 
Still     it    gathered    faster,  lowering     more     and 

more, 
Encircling  the  earth  with  clouds,  such  was  not 

known  before. 

During  the  forming  of  this    mist    damp    silence 

reigned, 
It      was     in     this      age      vegetation      existence 

gained. 
And  through  the  quaint    little    monad    life    still 

higher  ran, 
And   while   aeons    rolled,  evolved    the    primitive 

man. 


Lingering   Echoes.  9 

Primitive  I  say,  for  man  was  really  rude 
then ; 

Though  much  past  the  rough  condition  in  which 
he  had  been. 

Then  heavier  gathered  the  mist,  darker  grew  the 
cloud 

Over  earth,  hanging  like  a  gray,  gloomy,  cling 
ing  shroud. 

Then    deep   awful    detonations    of    the   thunder 

rolled , 
Freely  along  the  dark  gray  vault,  dreadful,  fierce 

and  bold. 
The    pent    up    fires    of  the  slow  revolving  ages 

past, 
Played    in    lightning    flash,  both    terrible    and 

fast. 

To    disabuse    your    mind    of    error    1    will  here 

say, 
That  there  were  no  human    beings    on  earth  at 

that  day. 


10  Lingering  Echoes. 

When     I     spoke     of      evolution     of     primitive 

men , 
The  same  since  that  dreadful  universal  flood  has 

been . 

Then  the  dull,  ghostly,  mist  gave  way  to  large 
drops  of  rain, 

And  steadier,  faster,  grew  the  drops  into  pour 
ing  vein, 

And  still  deeper  darkness  now  gathered  o'er  the 
earth , 

It  seemed  that  silence  to  confusion  now  gave 
birth. 

Freely  was  the  torrent  drunk  by  the  bleak  azoic 

rocks, 
While  the  dark,  gray,  clouds  then  drifted  swiftly 

by  in  flocks. 
Hissing  sounds  went  up  as  dark  caverns  quenched 

their  thirst, 
Of    water    to    enter    their    cells    that    being    the 

first. 


Lringering  Echoes.  11 

Then     terrible     reverberations    of  the    thunder 

fell, 
And  bellowing  louder  still  in  cavern  glade  and 

dell. 
Such  awful  forces  cause  men  to  imagine  a 

hell 
Ruled  over  by  a  prince,  with  power  harsh  and 

fell. 

But    such  is    not    the   case    in    the    economy   of 

things: 
For    as     speaking     of     universal     creation,    all 

brings 
Good  to  man ;   and    all    powers    were  created  by 

God; 
As  all  men  will  know,  when  they  cense  in  error 

to  plod. 

For  days  the  rocks  and  hills  were  raked  by  the 

dark  cloud, 
Until    deep    seething    currents    over    the    earth 

plowed. 


12  Lingering  Echoes. 

Higher,  and  deeper,  the  surging,  gurgling  water 

grew, 
Till    no    part  of  the  earth  any  freedom  from  its 

grasp  knew. 

Then    less    dark  and  dense  the  drifting    clouds 

began  to  grow ; 
And    as    if    driven    out    of    cavern    by    waters 

flow, 
The    wind    began    to    murmur;    first  so    gently 

and  low, 
Then,  like  a  mighty    giant    slow    to  wrath,    did 

louder  grow. 

I'll    say,     as    I    have      no      ambition    to    play 

on  words, 
Nor     to     fill     my    story     with     knotty    bundles 

of  surds, 
If  I  use  some  figures  of  speech   with  reason    not 

clear 
Know     that    I     mean    from     fallacy    far    away 

to  steer. 


Lingering  Echoes.  13 

To  illustrate,  I'll    add   that    the   wind    was    not 

confined, 
In  the  caverns,  but    the    waves,    one    the    other 

behind, 
Rushing    in    the    silent    recesses    of    the    earth 

did  make, 
Little  disturbance  of    stillness,    which    began    to 

quake. 

And  as  all  things  do  come  when  stern    necessity 

calls, 
And    when    so    created    in     its    proper    sphere 

then  falls, 
So  the  wind    through    these    quivering    chasms 

power  gained, 
Until  it  blew  fierce  and  wild,  where  silence  had 

reigned. 

Terrible,  weird  and  awful,  was  the  wind's  deep 

moaning 
L,ike  legions  of  drowning  demons,  in  the  caves 

groaning 


14  Lingering  Echoes. 

It  was  like  a    fierce    battle    of    darkness    against 

light; 
So     dreadful    was    the    contest    and    so    fearful 

the  sight. 

But,  as  I  said  once  before,    all  things    work    for 

the  best, 
From  the  fierce    struggle    the    elements    seemed 

to  rest. 
The  angry,  dark  clouds  still   higher    and    lighter 

did  grow, 
And  the  weird  howling   wind    more    gentle    and 

calm  did  blow. 

Then     higher    and    still    brighter    drifted     each 

passing  cloud, 
As  if  because  light  was  gaining  the   day    it    was 

proud : 
Then    did    the    torrent    from  Heaven's    window 

cease  to  pour; 
Such  a  down  rushing  of  water  will  be  known  no 

more. 


Lingering  Echoes.  15 

Then     the     great    torrent     changed     into,    light 

drifting  rain  ; 
And    the    sun  burst  through    the    thin,   brightly 

shining  clouds  plain. 
It  was  then  o'er  the  wild,  bleak,  watery  waste  of 

earth, 
That  the  grand,   iridescent    rainbow  was    given 

birth. 

The    bright    shining    arch,   as    if    from    beauty's 

heart  riven, 
Is    said    to    be    a    promise    of    hope    to     man 

given  : 
And  which  can  be  counted  as  being  correct    and 

true, 
For  such    world -wide    torrents    could  not    come 

from  skies  so  blue. 

Keeping  of  the  covenant  through  nature    can    be 

seen, 
By  looking  at  the  grass  and  forests    so    rich    and 

green  : 


16  Lingering  Echoes. 

For  the  earth  to  yield  such    great    growth    could 

not  molten  be; 
Such  as  it  was  when  from  its  form  gashes  floated 

free. 

In   those  dull,    dark  days    when    mist    gathered 

slow  and  fine, 
So  world -wide    was    the    fog    that   the    sun  did 

dimly  shine 
On  earth ;  'twas  like  the  full  moon  behind  clouds 

fleecy  white, 
Shedding  on    the    world  her  dim,  gentle,  silvery 

light. 

Peculiar      atmospheric      condition      o'er      earth 

then , 
Around    the  entire    globe,  over  valley    hill    and 

glen  : 
No  burning  sands  then,  and  wild  raging  blasts 

did  not  blow : 
But  one  general,  mild,  temperature  the  world  did 

know. 


Lingering   Echoes.  17 

The  calm,  the  fierce  howling  blast,  so  common 

in  this  time, 
Was  not  needed  then ;   but    they    fill    a    purpose 

sublime ; 
For  such  powers  in  action    makes    man's    mind 

versatile 
And  gives    it    God -like    tone,    and    does    lift    it 

higher  still. 


18  Lingering  Echoes. 


Ill 

Beautiful  was   the    sight,    picturesque,    sublime 

and  grand, 
Of  Aurora's    first    awakening,    o'er    the    watery 

land : 
Timid,    yet    smiling,    she    did  o'er    the    horizon 

peep, 
As  if  she  a  stranger  saw,  on    waking    from    her 

sleep. 

Then    fully    awake,     and    dressed    in    morning 

splendor, 
Her  most  bewitching   smiles   on  earth    she  then 

did  render. 
Little  dancing,  rainbow  prisms  then  o'er    earth 

were  gleaming, 
While  beautiful  beams    of    light    from    her    eyes 

were  streaming. 


Lingering  Echoes.  19 

My  story  I    am    sure,    would    not    be    full    and 

complete 
Till    I    tell    of    that   first    sunset,    with   beauty 

replete, 
So  I  will  in    language    which    is    my    habit    to 

say, 
Speak  now  of  the  closing,  of  what    I    term,    the 

first  day. 

The  bright  sun,  as  if  now  loth  to  part    with    her 

new  friend, 
Sank  slowly  down,  as  o'er  earth  streaming  light 

she  did  send : 
While  fleecy  clouds  floated  near  her,    while    dim 

light  she  shed, 
As  if  to    hide    bright    Aurora,    while    going  .to 

bed. 

Great  streams  of  shining   gold    shot    high  up    in 

the  calm  air, 
Which,  falling  in  prisms,  made  the    picture    still 

yet  more  fair. 


20  Lingering  Echoes. 

The    shining,    iridescent,    rainbows    dancing    in 

glee, 
Seemed  each  trying  the    last  glimpse  of    the    sun 

to  see. 

Then  the  light,  so  resplendent  before,    now    dim 

did  grow, 
As  timid  Aurora,  in    her    couch,    laid   her    head 

low ; 
And  so -the    lowering    darkness    did    gather    at 

last, 
For  the  bright  light  of    the    first    day    was    now 

sinking  fast. 

Earth  was  dark  now,   as    if    ruled   by    Plutonian 

hand, 
It  seemed  the  gloom  of  all  the   worlds  was    now 

o'er  this  land. 
Such  has  a  purpose,  for  darkness  makes  brighter 

the  light, 
If  it  were  not  so  you  would  lose  many  a  grand 

sight. 


Lingering   Echoes.  21 

When  trials,  like  dark  gloomy  clouds,   float  over 

human  life, 
Caused    by    sin,    error,  worldly    contention    and 

strife, 
There  comes  the  hour  of  peace,  which  the  heart 

with  joy  does  fill ; 
Which    seems    because    of    the    aching    sorrow 

brighter  still. 

I  then  turned  me  around,     as    a    gentle    wind 

blew, 
Looking     straight     Eastward,     as    the    horizon 

brighter  grew, 

• 

And  saw  the  full,    round,    moon    shedding    her 

enchanting  light 
In    silvery   floods,   freely,   into  the  darkness    of 

night. 

The    floating,    fleecy,    clouds  cast  shadows  like 

phantom  ships. 
To  describe  that  picture  can't  be  done  by  mortal 

lips : 


22  Lingering  Echoes. 

So  silent,  weird,   swiftly-gliding  and  ghost-like 

were  they, 
As  these  shadows  chased  each  other  now  dark, 

then  gray. 

I  will  no  longer  linger  on  this  grand,  sublime, 

scene ; 
But    will  say  that  the  still  night  wore  on  calm 

and  serene, 
Until    in    the    east   the   soft,    beautiful,  twilight 

gray, 
Betokened    the    glorious    dawn    of    the    second 

day. 


Lingering  Echoes.  23 


IV 

Then    rolled    the    world -wide    ocean,     in    deep 

currents  strong, 
Through     the    slowly    passing    aeons,     solemn, 

drear  and  long: 
It    seemed      like     endless,      gliding     cycles    of 

eternity, 
As     one     "wide,      watery,     sheet    it    continued 

to  he. 

But  for  it  to  remain  so,  would  without  purpose 

be, 
So,  in  time,  many  points  of  land  I  could  plainly 

see. 
No    sweet    dove    then,  with  white,  fleecy  wings 

to  gently  fly, 
The     long     imprisoned     earth,     uncovered,     to 

descry. 


24  Lingering  Echoes, 

Grand  arc  the  pictures  focused  ou  the  mind  of 

man,, 
'Twas    intended     as    a    part    of    God's  eternal 

plan, 
By     scintillations       of.     the       Father's       Spirit 

falling, 
On  man's  mind,  and  faint  ideas  of  God's  work 

forestalling. 

The  gentle  dove  sailing,  o'er  the  watery  waste 

wild, 
Which     was    so    sublimely    pictured  by  human 

child,  .  » 

Though  beautiful  and  thrilling,  is  from  the  truth 

far  away : 
For  it  was  God's  gentle  Spirit  which  sailed  that 

day. 

The  dark  sombre  raven,  with  solemn  croak  said 

to  go, 
Like    an    evil    omen,     o'er    the    waters    to    and 

fro, 


Lingering  Echoes.  25 

Is    a    real    good    image    drawn,  while  the  spirit 

would  tell 
Man,    of    the    powers    of  nature,  which  seemed 

dark  and  fell. 

The  raven  was  to  remain,  the  solemn  stillness  to 

prod, 
Which   is  a  flickering  image  of  how  man    must 

plod 
Through  deep  sorrow  on  earth ;  which  will  be  so 

of  each  age, 
Till    by    triumph  of  God's  sweet  spirit  sin  shall 

assuage. 

The  black,  croaking,  messenger  did  not  to  Noah 

return, 
Which,  mind  painting,  shows  that  evil  God  ever 

will  spurn, 
While  the  dove  returning,  the  olive  branch  down 

to  lay, 
Is    an  image    of    all    good  coming  to  God,   one 

day. 


26  Lingering  Echoes. 

Such  is    the    fruit    of    what    is    as    inspiration 

known ; 
Which  is  but  divine  scintillations  on  man's  mind 

sown : 
The    seeds    are    perfect    when     they    leave    the 

eternal  hand, 
But  falling  on    impure    soil  cause    error    in    the 

land. 

But  when  the  Christ -like  spirit  does    humanity 

leaven, 
With    purity    of    heart,    and  deep  wisdom  from 

Heaven, 
The  mind  of  man  will,  when  divine  light  does 

o'er  it  fall, 
Better,  and  more  perfect,  pictures  of  God's  work 

forestall. 

The    new    earth  looked  happy,  when  kissed  by 

the  sun; 
Such  in  all    the  dark  ages  passed  had  not  been 

done. 


Lingering  Echoes.  27 

Then    the    high    points    of    land  began  to  show 

faster  still, 
As    the    deep,  subterranean    fisures  drank  their 

fill. 

And     aeons     upon     aeons     yet      rolled      slowly 

away , 
While    the    deep,    gliding    waters    tossed    both 

night  and  day ; 
It  was  then  that  the  great  fountains   were  hidden 

in  earth, 
Which,  at    this  day,  causes  these  mountains  to 

spring  to  give  birth. 

The  water  then,  not  drunk  by  the  thirsty  rocks 

and  ground, 
Deep  channels  now  called  oceans,  seas  and  rivers 

found ; 
While  vast  bodies  of  land,  seeming  so  glad  to  be 

free, 
Shot     forth    lovely    vegetation,     bewitching    to 

see. 


28  Lingering  Echoes, 

Silence  crept  back  into  dark  caverns,  tinder  the 

hill, 
As  if  truly  glad,  once  more  to  be  quiet  and 

still. 
The  wind,  as  if  ashamed  of  its  pranks,  murmured 

low; 
Now  sweet,  lovely,  Eden,  on  the  earth,  began 

to  grow. 

Began    to    grow    I    say,   for  long,  drifting,   ages 

ran, 
Before  earth  as  a  dwelling  place,  was  fitted  for 

man. 
How  it  was  all  brought  about,  to  let  you  fully 

know, 
Some    parts  of,    further,    creation  I  will  briefly 

show. 


Lingering  Echoes.  29 


V 

First    from    all    the  parts  of  the    new    and    rich 

plastic  lands, 
Where  water  was  not,  sprang  plant  life  so  lovely 

and  grand. 
Then     commenced      the      creation      of     animal 

life, 
Over     which,    through  passing    ages,  there  has 

been  much  strife, 

Understand    now,    that    it    all  came  from  God's 

powerful  hand, 
All    creation    that    was,    and  does  exist,  in    the 

land. 
Some   will  differ    as   to  how  it  all  was  brought 

about : 
But  then  let  all   be   magnanimous,    and   not   fall 

'out. 


30  Liiftgering  Echoes. 

For    the    differing    opinions,     in    the    minds  of 

men, 
The    means  of  bringing    great  thought  into   the 

world,  has  been ; 
While    to    be    tolerant    toward    the    thoughts    of 

others 
Will  make   men   feel  more   like  they    are   really 

brothers. 

First    life    in  vegetable    kingdom    through    laws 

began, 
Not    by    chance,    but    by    union    of    elements, 

that  ran, 
Guided,     always,      by     Jehovah's      omnipotent 

hand, 
Which  caused  bubbling  life  to  spring  up  over  the 

land. 

From     lower     to     higher     plant     life      steadily 

moved, 
Like      a      painting      under      a      master,        life 

improved ; 


Lingering  Echoes.  31 

Always     by     affinity,     between       beings       and 

things, 
Newer,    grander,    and    better    life  to  earth  ever 

brings. 

•   So    silently    life    evolved,     that    no   one    could 

know 
Just  how  beings  from  lower  to  higher  life  did 

grow. 
Myriads  of  bright  angels  each  morning  blithely 

arose, 
And,  with  finger  touch,  made  things  brighter, 

ere  the  day's  close. 

The  sweet  zephyr  touched  angels'  cheeks  with 
kisses  fond, 

While  from  the  rude  fork  they  shaped  the  deli 
cate  frond : 

Then  as  one  fair  builder  from  bower  to  bower 
goes, 

From  her  wings  quivering  light  falling  now  tint 
the  rose. 


32  Lingering  Echoes. 

Silently    millions    of    tiny,    noiseless,    hammers 

fell, 
Their  inaudible  echoes  through  valley,  glade  and 

dell 
Mingling    with    the    soughing    wind,     as     they 

moulded  the  rock, 
From  crude  dull  shape,  to  beautiful  angle  square 

and  block. 

Untold  numbers  of  bright  little  nymphs,  so  sweet 

to  see, 
Tumbled    gently  over    each    other    in     noiseless 

glee, 
That  beautiful    picture    ever    in    my    mind    will 

be, 
As  from  the  small  frondage  plant  they  built  the 

lofty  tree. 

Then  these  blithe  silent  workers,  always  floating 

around , 
Doing    something  whenever  to    be    done  it   was 

found, 


Lingering  Echoes.  33 

Always  working  at  the  right  thing,  the  time  just 

to  suit, 
Blowing  their  breath    on    the    rough    bud,    gave 

birth  to  sweet  fruit. 

These    sweet,    drifting    spirits,    guided    by    the 

Father  great, 
Still    toiled    ever    noiselessly,     both    early    and 

late, 
Till  through  the  slowly  passing  ages  grand  work 

then  stood, 
Which  by  the  Heavenly  Father  was    called    very 

good. 

Then  slowly  gliding  cycles  their    quiet    time  did 

unfold, 
Such    time    has  by  computation  never  yet  been 

told: 
The    dancing  shadows  then  played  coquet  with 

the  wind, 
As    o'er  the  earth    its    melancholy    song    it    did 

send. 


34  lingering  Echoes. 


VI 

The  trees  nodded  to  each  other,  and  slightly  did 

quake, 
As  if  from  their  branches  the  deep  silence  they 

would  shake. 
In  the  dark  hidden  caves  the  wind  did   solemnly 

moan , 
As  if  from  the  heart  of    creation    there    came    a 

groan. 

All    nature  seemed   intent  on  one  and  the   same 

thing, 
And  that  was  on  earth  creation  of    new    life    to 

bring ; 
So  the  same  power  that  brought  plant  life  past 

ages  through, 
Set  great  laws  to  moving,  still  grander  work  yet 

to  do. 


lingering  Echoes.  35 

You  might  catch  from  my  version   of  creation  as 

told, 
That     animal     life     had     not     yet     begun      to 

unfold ; 
Not    so,    when    the    great    ocean    began    to  roll 

sublime, 
In    the    water,     started    life    coeval    with    that 

time. 

Away  back   through    silent    ages,    and    through 

cycles  of  time, 
When  the  stars  sang  to  each  other,   in  such  soft 

sweet  chime, 
One     little     spirit,     ever      wishing     wiser      to 

grow, 
Moved  at  God's  bidding,  deep   secrets  of   life   to 

know. 

Over    the    boundless    space   of   immensity  then 

went 
The  sweet,  gentle  messenger,  with  deep  purpose 

intent : 


36  Lingering  Echoes. 

Sailing    through    the    stellar  regions,   across  the 

milky -way; 
Soaring  around  suns,  brightly  shining  for  their 

first  day. 

The  blithe  little  being  then  saw,   at  the  Father's 

call, 
Suns  to  ashes  on  the  threshold  of  trackless  space, 

fall. 
Life  when  once  created  the  substance  never  does 

die; 
To  the  scene  of  these  dying  suns  the  spirit  did 

fly. 

From  the  fading  light  of  these  dying  orbs  there 

did  spring 
Particles  of  great  worth,  which   did  joy  to  that 

heart  bring; 
As  a  purpose  could  be  seen  on  earth  for  them  so 

grand, 
He    plucked    them   from    dying    suns,    with    his 

chubby  hand. 


Lingering  Echoes.  37 

As  this  blithe  good  worker  gathered  these  gems 

so  bright, 
He    brought    them    to  the  Father,   in   Heaven's 

shining  light; 
Until  there  were  enough,  as    the  Father  gently 

said, 
Then  that  quaint  worker  took   them  to  ocean's 

silent  bed. 

In     the     waters,     his     heart     with     profundity 

stilled, 
This     worker     began     cell     of    animal     life    to 

build. 
The  work  being  done  so  good  the  Father,  being 

glad, 
Blew  his  breath  o'er  the  cell,  which  gave  birth  to 

the  monad. 


38  Lingering  Echoes. 


VII 

Then     hovered     all     the    divine    attributes     of 

God 
O'er  that  cell,    in    the    ocean,    where    foot    had 

never  trod. 
Then  lingered  close  the  gentle,   "holy,   heavenly 

Dove," 
For    the    foundation    of   this    work    was    eternal 

love. 

Love,    (the    stranger's    head   bent    low,    he    did 

apostrophise,) 
May    thy    gentle    power    with     man,     yet    still 

sympathize : 
Though  great  is  the  wrong  done,  by  perversion, 

in  thy  name, 
Through    selfish    ignorance,     and    in     hunting 

worldly   fame. 


Lingering  Echoes.  39 

I'll  here  digress,  and  if    wrong    I    do    thee    I'll 

remit, 
For    towering    supremely   o'er  all   topics,    there 

does  sit, 
In  my  mind,  the  one    of    love,    for    in  its   holy 

name, 
The  world  will  be  brought  to  light,   saved  from 

sin  and  shame. 

Some  say  that  love  is  folly,  but  do  not   think  it 

it  so, 
For  to  love  what  is  noble  gives  joy    where  e'er 

you  go. 
It  is  said  that  love  gives  sorrow,  and  deep  lasting 

pain, 
If  so  'twill  feed  the  soul,  like  earth  refreshed  by 

rain. 

When  some  true  person  gives  freely  love's  throbs 

of  the  heart, 
The  angels    in    Heaven  in  the  great  joy  take  a 

part; 


40  Lingering  Echoes. 

For     I     truly      say     that     sorrow    is    cured    by 

love; 
Such     is     the     inspiration       I       imbibe      from 

above. 

There  is  a  poetess  of  great  renown,  and  world 
wide  fame, 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox  is  the  gifted  lady's 
name, 

And  many  inspired  thoughts  she  gleaned  from 
above, 

But  she  made  a.  sad  mistake  in  writing  about 
love. 

She  said  true  love  at  the  time  could  only  be  for 

one; 
As  if  the  bright  golden  thread  had  then  its  full 

course  run. 
Had  she  thought  deeper  of  the  universal  Christ - 

like  love. 
She  would  have  gathered  sweeter  thoughts  from 

God  above. 


Hungering  Echoes.  41 

That  lady  claimed  that  man,  on  the  earth,  would 

yet  grow 
Almost    God -like    perfection,    in    the    spirit,    to 

know. 
That  is  true,  such  conditions  of  life  on  earth  will 

be; 
Then    how  can  selfish  love  exist,  can  any    one 

see? 

0  gentle  muse,    (the  young  man  then  spoke  so 

soft  and  low), 

To  that   good    woman   take    wings     and    flying, 

\f 
quickly  go, 

And  when  gently  hovering    o'er   her,   speak    in 

words  profound, 
Saying,  one  can  rightly  love  where  e'er  good  does 

abound. 

1  will  add    that  my  principal  work  on  earth    is 

this, 

Which  to  my  soul  gives  sweet,  everlasting,  joy 
and  bliss, 


42  Lingering  Echoes. 

To  send    the    spirit    where    I    see    error    in    the 

heart, 
That  it  may  while  hovering  there  the  full  truth 

impart. 

Sometimes     it     is     heeded,     but    oftener    it    is 

not; 
For   many  get    tangled    in    conservatism's  great 

plot: 
And  drift  on  with  fixed  forms,  and  fashions  of 

the  world, 
They    don't    see    the    glory    of    God's   banner 

unfurled. 

But  some  few  in  every   age  there  have  been  and 

yet  are, 
To  me  ever    brightly    shining,  like    a   twinkling 

star, 
Who    awaken    at    the    approach    of  the   spirit's 

light : 
Through    these    the   great   epochs  of  history    I 

unite. 


Lingering  Echoes.  43 

To    keep    clear    of   the    mistake    Israel's    leader 

made, 
When  he  smote  the  silent  rock,  in  Mount  Horeb's 

deep  shade, 
I     will     say    before    I    too    far     in    such    error 

plod, 
That  I  do  all  my  works  through  the  power    of 

God. 

I    have     wandered     a     little,      from    my    story 

away ; 
So    I    will    now     continue,    without   any    great 

delay. 
But  please  pardon  me  now,   I  will  humbly  ask 

and  pray, 
For  I  have  still  a  few  more  words  about  love  to 

say. 

One   who  could  the    love    of  which  I  speak    in 

heart  receive, 
Would    not.   any   being  on    earth,    in    the    least 

deceive : 


44  Lingering  Echoes. 

There  is  where  the  limit  should  ever  and  always 

be, 
In     the      prescribed      bounds       of      substantial 

honesty. 

The  person  to  bring  the  heart  at  love's  shrine  to 

lay, 
Although  many  others  they  do,  and  can  love  they 

say, 
Is  one  whom  to  be  like  others  might  wish  and 

aspire ; 
For    such    a    soul    is   cleansed    by    promethean 

fire. 

Then  the  love  that  should  fill  every  person's  heart 

and  mind 
Should    be    unselfish    love,     in    a    pure     heart 

enshrined : 
And  though  the  sweet,  loving,  object  be  far,  far, 

away, 
L,et  the  rays  from  your  heart    shine    out    bright, 

bright  as  day. 


Lingering  Echoes.  45 

And  when  you  are  living  with  husband  or  wife 

so  dear, 
In    that    sweet    sacred    relation    for    year    after 

year, 
In  the  trend  of  the  bard,  who  has  pushed  from 

earth's  shore, 
lyove  not  such  close  companion  less,  but  others 

the  more. 

To    what    I've    said    in    the    last    fifteen    verses 

harken, 
For    selfish    love  will    always    the    soul    surely 

darken. 
And    now    of     blissful      joy      I       have      great 

prelibation, 
As     my     tale      I     now     continue     of      animal 

creation. 


46  Lingering  Echoes. 


VIII 

Then  from  the  snowy  wing  of  the  quaint  builder 

there  fell 
An   atom  from  some  star,   where  life  no  longer 

does  dwell, 
Being  treasured  by  the  nymph,  when  soaring  in 

quest, 
Of  matter  to  begin  life  with,  through  which  man 

would  be  blest. 

The  gentle  builder  was  quivering  in  deep,   silent 

glee, 
The     picture     was      exquisitely      beautiful      to 

to  see, 
And  as  the  sweet  little  being  hung  straight  o'er 

the  cell 
In    its    inviting    depths,     the    tiny    atom    then 

fell. 


Lingering  Echoes.  47 

The    sweet    monad  then  with  silent  joy  radiant 

grew, 
As    it    around     the    little    atom     its    soft    arms 

threw : 
Then  in  the  deep,  peaceful,  shades  of  Heaven, 

joy  was  rife, 
For  at  that  moment  on  earth  was  sown  seeds  of 

new  life, 

If     I     should     anywhere     the     idea     seem     to 

advance 
That    creation    was    brought    about  by  sporadic 

chance, 
Listen     more     closely     I     do     thee,     earnestly, 

implore, 
For  creation  came  through  laws,  from  Heaven's 

very  door. 


48  Lingering  Echoes. 


IX 

With    joy     ineffable,     from     anticipation     made 

dumb, 
I   thus   viewed  the  planning  of  new  life  yet  to 

come: 
The  rejoicing  in  Heaven  which  did  then  come  to 

me, 
Will     find      echo     in     my     soul,    through      all 

eternity. 

The    panorama    that    then    passed    before    my 

sight, 
Filled    my    whole  being  with  peaceful  joy  and 

delight : 
I    saw    before    me     what    I,    generically,     call 

men, 
To  tell  their  number  can  not  be  done  by  tongue 

or  pen . 


Lingering  Echoes.  49 

In  dissolving  shadows,  before  me,  they  still  did 
pass ; 

I  saw  them,  ever,  as  if  through  bright,  transpar 
ent  glass, 

While  aeons  followed  aeons  along  time's 
pathway ; 

It  seemed  to  be  one  eternal  revolving 
day. 

I   saw  a    white  figure,    ever    working    here    and 

there ; 
'Twas    ever    climbing    up,    as    if   on    a    golden 

stair ; 
Always  helping  others,   higher,  grander,   life  to 

see  : 
As  cycling  ages  came  near,   I  knew  it  Christ  to 

be. 

You    have,    by   your  radiant  countenance,   fully 

shown 
That  interesting  has  been  this  vision,   which  is 

my  own ; 


50  Lingering  Echoes. 

So  I    will,    being    by    your    gentle    favor    made 

bold, 
Now      continue     1113^      story      of      creation      to 

unfold. 

From    that  union  many  seeds    of    new    life    did 

grow, 
As    the    spirits    in    the    waters,     the       surface 

below, 
Worked       earnestly,       as       the       silent       ages 

rolled, 
And       the      scroll      of      creation      did       slowly 

unfold. 

These     silent      builders      steadily      moved     life 

higher, 
By      the     ever     gentle      touch    of    promethean 

fire; 
At   the   very  beginning    of    life    on    earth    they 

did 
Ever       beckon       life       upward,       even         the 

annelid. 


lingering  Echoes.  51 

To      give      detail      of      all       creation       as       it 

passed 
The    story    while  slow  ages  rolled  away  would 

last; 
So     I    will    only    notice    where    a    great    epoch 

starts, 
Higher  to  build,  and  then  just  its  most  salient 

parts . 

The  quiet  workers  toiled,  noiselessly,  day  after 

day ; 
Their  soft  gentle  voices,  as  to  each  other  they 

did  say 
Sweet  words,  gave  birth  to    murmuring  of    the 

waves  so  low, 
When    on   the  beach  they    did    roll    and  break, 

even  and  slow. 


52  Lingering  Echoes. 


X 

Not  a  sound  of  disturbance,   so  well  were  they 

drilled, 
Was  ever  among  them,  but  with  hearts  with  joy 

filled 
They  did  meet  each  other's  every  sweet  desire 

and  wish ; 
So  I  will  tell  you  how  they  moulded  the  nimble 

fish. 

This  being  the  most  minute  expuisite  work  yet 

done, 
Each    saw  that  its  part  was  ready  before    'twas 

begun : 
Some  brought  different  parts  of  all  symmetry  yet 

made, 
In  all  the  deep  oceans,   and  throughout  earth's 

silent  shade. 


Lingering  Echoes.  53 

Some    brought  tiny    waves  crystalized,  to  make 

the  fin ; 
For  'tis  meet  in  higher  life  new  matter  to  bring 

in. 
Others  gathered  moonbeams  as  on  the  ocean  the}' 

fell, 
And  hammered  out  the  silvery  scale,   in   earth's 

mossy  dell. 

Others  brought  parts  necessary,  the  tiny  fish  to 

make, 
To  dart  here  and  there  the  blue  silent  waters  to 

shake ; 
And    all    being    ready     they    commenced     the 

work, 
Not     a     single    little    worker    did    quibble    or 

quirk. 

Then  steadily  they  worked,  doing  the  Father's 

will, 
Ever      and      always,      being      more     congenial 

still, 


54  lingering  Echoes. 

Till    through    the    bright    waters    fishes    darted 

blithe  and  gay : 
Being    the    substance    of    creation    up    to    that 

day. 

Fishes    I  say,  for  many  at  the  same  time  were 

made, 
Though  all  of  them  essentially  of  the  same  kind 

and  grade; 
But  the  little  spirits  certain  conditions  brought 

around 
Which  caused  the  seas    with    many    species    to 

abound. 


Lingering  Echoes.  65 


XI 

Creation    has     one    purpose,     and     also     many 

more, 
Which    is    made  plainly  manifest  each  day  o'er 

and  o'er: 
That  is  to  show  to  man  God's  great  wisdom  and 

power, 
Through  stupenduous  works,  in  ocean  sea  and 

bower. 

So     the     workers     blithe    as    the    ages    moved 

along, 
Kver     and    anon    sailing    to    Heaven,    in    sweet 

song, 
Of     this     fish     material     laid    much    aside     in 

store, 
And  through  the  slow  revolving  years  piled   up 

still  more. 


56  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then  the  quaint  beings  came  together  one  day, 

in  glee, 
Just   how    much    of    fish    material   they    had   to 

see: 
And  finding  they  had  saved  plenty,  as  the  time 

ran, 
Set     quietly,      to     work     to     make     the    huge 

leviathan. 

The  building  of  that  monster  was  a  grand  sight 

to  see ; 
Through    the    ages    he  grew,  as  silently  as  the 

tree, 
Under  the    soft,    powerful,  touch  of  the  spirits' 

hands, 
As    they     flocked     around,      in     sweet      gentle 

ba'nds. 

The  work  being  done,  then  up  came  the  quiver 
ing  wave, 

As  if  the  ocean's  depths  had  begun  to  surge  and 
rave ; 


Lingering  Echoes.  57 

Then   in  the  bright,   sparkling,   sunlight,  which 

was  fading  fast, 
There  came  up    to    the    surface    points,    like    a 

great   ship -mast. 

Then    higher  heaved   the   waters,   as   the   ocean 

gave, 
The  whale  to  the  surface,  in  the  golden  waves  to 

lave ; 
The  whole  being  of  that  monster  trembled   with 

delight, 
As  it  drank  the  pure  air,  beautifully  grand  was 

the  sight. 

Great    waves    of  bright    ripling    sunbeams    then 

rolled  away, 
As  they  were    gently  kissed  by  the    fast    dying 

day , 
Chasing    farther    out,    each    other's    track    they 

crossed, 
While   the  great  leviathan  in  the  golden  waves 

tossed. 


58  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then  above  his  great  head  was  a  sight  to  see  so 

fair, 
As  water,  rainbow  fringed,  shot  high  up  in  the 

air; 
Raising  his  mighty  head,  as  if  light  and  air  he'd 

store, 
Rolled  in  the  waves,  sank,  and  the  waters  closed 

o'er.       .- 

So  in  the  waters  whales  of  different  kinds  were 

made, 
To  play  from  India's  burnt  sands,  to  Greenland's 

verdant  shade, 
Showing  the  mighty    works,    coming   from    the 

Father's  hand, 
As    their    bodies    roll    in    the    waters    of    every 

land. 

Teeming  swarms  of  beings  the  little  spirits  did 

make, 
In    the  great   ocean,    sea,    river   and  the  placid 

lake. 


lingering  Echoes.  •      59 

Of  the  great  number  and  the  kinds  that  I  can  not 

tell, 
For  me  to  do  such  a  thing,  I  would  here  ages 

dwell. 


60  Lingering  Echoes. 


XII 

As  my  mission  here  on  earth  is  to  aid  all  man 
kind, 

And  men  being  as  to  God's  real  ways  extreme 
ly  blind, 

The  manner  of  making  one  being  I'll  here 
relate, 

That  you  may  catch  a  true  glimpse  of  the  misused 
word,  fate. 

In  nature's  forces  there  is    a    chance    of    going 

wrong, 
But    for  the  ever   guarding    hand  of  God    great 

and  strong. 
If   'twere  not  so  it  would  surely  take  away  the 

praise 
From    the    Deity,     for    bringing     order    out    of 

maze. 


Lingering  Echoes.  61 

Then  as  these  forces  rolled  and  broke,  on    the 

tide  line, 
There  drifted  over,  a  substance  both  subtle  and 

fine : 
To   stay  the   main  force   and  turn  it  in  the  way 

of  right 
Is  beyond  mortal  power,  it  takes  the  strength  of 

light. 

As    these    evil    forces    drifted    out    from    God's 

control, 
A  power  grew  in  the  land  to  damn  the  human 

soul : 
This  dark  tendency  for  bad  fell  on    the  ocean's 

shore, 
Then    grew    the    devil     fish,     hideous     forever 

more. 

Its     slim}'     tentacles,     like    no    other    substance 

known, 
Is     the      residue     of     creation,      in      darkness 

thrown  : 


62  Lingering  Echoes. 

Evil    seeds    took    root,    and    then    the    dreadful 

demon  grew, 
While  the  dreary,  howling,  night -winds  o'er  the 

ocean  blew. 

Its    grewsome    tentacles,    and    body,    are    proof 

'gainst  pain, 
For    no    good    being    therein,  but    all  from  evil 

vein, 
Makes       it     invulnerable      to      the      touch      of 

man, 
However      much    he    tries,      or     ingenious    his 

plan. 

But  while  the  loathsome  being  through  the  ages 

did  grow, 
One  day  it   raised    its    head,    while    the    gentle 

winds  did  blow, 
At  the  same  time  a  sunbeam  full  on  its  head  then 

fell, 
Which  made  that  part  vulnerable,   hence  it  you 

can  quell. 


Lingering  Echoes.  63 

One  thing  I  wish  now  to  show  you,  so  pleasing 
to  know, 

That  is  that  evil  beings  never  higher  in  life 
grow : 

But  stop  in  arrested  evolution,  then  do 
stand 

In  their  dwarfed  life,  on  creation's  dark  border 
land. 

Which    is    proof     substantial     that     good    will 

triumph  at  last ; 
That    the    evil    forces    will    in    time    decay    and 

blast. 
Then  on  snowy  wings  of  peace,  victorious  and 

grand, 
God's  spirit  will  sail,  supremely  great,  o'er  all 

the  land. 


64  Lingering  Echoes, 


XIII 

During  this  time  wonderful  works  were  done  on 

the  laud, 
And    proudly    towering    oaks  in  the    forest    did 

stand ; 
Their  nodding  branches  tossed  in  the  wind,  both 

day  and  night, 
As  if  showing  forth  the  Father's  great  power  and 

might. 

The  tall  waving  grass  bowed  before  the    gentle 

breeze, 
As  though  silently  conversing  with  the  tall  huge 

trees : 
While    the    still     sombre    cliffs    looked    on    the 

pretty  scene, 
As  if  jealous    of    both,    it    was    there    standing 

between. 


Lingering  Echoes.  65 

While  the  ocean's  gentle  waves  kissed  the  sand}' 

shore, 
And    the    tide    water    out    it    still    continued    to 

pour. 
Then  the  great  tidal   waves,    rolling    back,    did 

ever  leave 
Little    tiny    beings,     which    did    to    the    pebles 

cleave. 

The    water    rolling    back    into  the  ocean's  deep 

bed, 
Left  these  little  waifs,  the  new  found  elements  to 

dread  : 
Then  the  sweet  naiads,  their  great  sympathy  to 

bestow, 
Put  water    on    them,    and  they  did  amphibious 

grow. 

This  being  kept    up,    through  ages  of  sunshine 

and  fog, 
Thus   the    ever    working    spirits    did    make    the 

nimble  frog. 


66  Lingering  Echoes. 

So     it     was,     as     the     rolling     cycles     passed 

away, 
They  made  many  such  beings,  on  ocean's  shore 

to  play. 

It  was  with  great  welcome  that  the  silent  trees 

did  greet 
The    songs    of    these    animals,     with    new    life 

replete, 
As  the  new  music  drifted  on  the  night -wind  so 

weird, 
In      the      heart      of      creation      new     emotions 

stirred . 

It    was    while  the  nymphs  were  handling,  with 

soft  touch  and  feel, 
These  animals  that  they  made  the  downy  furred 

seal ; 
To  glide  in  and  out  of  the  waters,  on  the  calm 

shore, 
To  be    hunted    by  men,   as  you  have  been  told 

before. 


Lingering  Echoes.  Q7 

The  ocean's  wave  still  murmured,  so  gently  and 

low, 
As  time  in  its  silent,  trackless,   course  ever  did 

go. 
And    creation     slowly      moved      upward,      still 

higher, 
Being      thus      ever     refined,     by      promethean 

fire. 


68  Lingering  Echoes. 


XIV 

Aud    while    the    purifying  stream  from  Heaven 

was  pouring:, 
There  were  other  forces  for  bad  o'er  the   earth 

soaring, 
Laden  with  purgings    from    nature,    adverse    to 

pure  life, 
With   purpose   dire  and  fell,   to  leaven  mankind 

with  strife. 

So      I       will      now      continue      my      story      to 

relate, 
How    evil    entered    man,    the    best    that    I    can 

state. 
I'll     keep     the     origin     of     evil     before     your 

mind, 
That  you    may    a    purpose,    in    creation,    for  it 

find. 


Lingering  Echoes.  69 

Down  under  the  gentle  gliding  waters  one  bright 

day 
Man}7  little  fishes  were  all  enjoying  a 

play, 
While  a  shining  beam  of  sunlight  among  them 

did  fall, 
After  which  they  began  to  chase  with  glee  one 

and  all. 

At  first  the  chasing  seemed  only  sport  for  each 

one, 
But  at  last  each  swimmer  began  in  earnest  to 

run , 
Till  their  shining  eyes  in  the  beam  a  value  did 

see, 
As  the  bright  thing  continued  ever  dancing  in 

glee; 

The  fast  flying    chase  became  frantic  still  more 

and  more, 
As  the   pretty    little  beings  tumbled  each  other 

o'er; 


70  lingering  Echoes. 

Until     at     last     it     was     really     a     distressing 

sight, 
For    the    naughty    fishes    began    each    other    to 

fight. 

The  naiads  came  along  and  scattered  them  all 
out, 

But  not  till  a  dark  seed  in  each  heart  began  to 
sprout : 

Which  in  their  tiny  hearts  darker  and  deeper  it 
grew ; 

So  it  was  through  this  black  seed  the  world  self 
ishness  knew. 

Let  men   remember    the  story    of    these    foolish 

fishes, 
When    trying    to    gratify    all    the    heart's    vain 

wishes; 
And  also  know  that  on  a  thing  more  value  you 

set, 
When  the  same  thing  others  are  closely  striving 

to  get. 


Lingering  Echoes.  71 

The  one  thing  to  be  sought  after  by  all  men  on 

.    earth, 
Is  the  sweet  blissful  joy  given  by  the  heart's  new 

birth, 
Which   when  it  once   enriches  a  heart  will  freely 

flow 
Out  to  others,  in     all    lands,    wheresoever     you 

go, 

I       have        wandered        somewhat,       following 

meditation, 
From     the      story      I       started        to       tell       of 

creation. 
But    if    you     will    now    on    me    your    attention 

bestow, 
I'll  freely  more  of  the  Father's  great  work  to  you 

show. 


72  Lingering  Echoes. 


XV 

Upward    and    still    upward,    creation    ever    did 

build, 
Until    all     the    earth     with     living    beings   was 

filled. 
While    the    little  spirits  worked,  with  intention 

very  good, 
There  was  always  some  dark  hindrance  which  in 

the  way  stood. 

It  was  that   substance    which  dashed  the  water 

line  o'er, 
As    the    forces    of   nature    broke    on    creation's 

shore. 
To    show  you  just  how    these    dark    tendencies 

worked  in, 
I'll  tell  you  of  the    road  where  animal  life   has 

been. 


Lingering  Echoes.  73 

While  the  little  builders  were  working,  the  shore 
along, 

They  were  making  a  being,  and  softly  singing  a 
song ; 

The  creature  they  were  building  was  of  symme 
try  nice ; 

And  to  make  it  perfect  they  worked  over  it 
twice. 

The  name  of  this  animal,  of  course,   I  will  now 

tell. 
But  know    first    that    a    great    misfortune    to    it 

befell, 
For     in     the     making     it     did     in    its    nature 

partake 
Of    the    bad    side    of    creation,    for    it    was    the 

snake. 

Mournful,  weird,  one  night  did  the  deep  moan 
ing  wind  blow, 

While  under  the  hands  of  the  builder  the  snake 
did  grow : 


74  lingering  Echoes. 

It  was  on  the   bleak    ocean's  shore,  where    the 

high  waves  did  lash, 
As  through  the  dark  hours,   they  did  constantly 

roll  and  crash. 

By   a    smooth    tiny    pebble     a     little     hammer 

lay, 
Where    a    bright,    sweet  little  nymph   had  been 

working  all  day. 
She  had  been  preparing  material  from  which   to 

make 
A    dainty    little    tooth,     for    the    pretty     rattle 

snake. 

Being     very     tired      the      quaint      worker    fell 

asleep 
Then  these  bad  tendencies,  with  evil  purpose  did 

creep, 
And  slyly  mingling  with  the  dark  waves,  on  the 

bleak  shore, 
Soaked  this    tooth    material  with  deadly  poison 

o'er. 


Lingering  Echoes.  75 

When     the    sweet    little  worker  in  the  morning 

awoke, 
The  sun  shone  brightly,  the  waves  on  the   shore 

calmly  broke ; 
She    smiled    as    she    looked    at    her    work    left 

undone, 
Then  soft  echoes  were  heard,   for"  the  work   she 

had  begun. 

This    quaint    being    was    ignorant    of    the    evil 

wrought  ; 
She  rounded  up  the  pretty  tooth,   as  she  sweetly 

thought 
Of    the    perfection    of    the    work  under  her  soft 

hand , 
As  well    as    of    all     the    glorious    work    in  the 

land. 

The  work    being    finished,   as  slow  time  passed 

away , 
The  pretty  snake  came  gliding  slowly  along  one 

da}7, 


76  lingering  Echoes. 

When  the  blithe  sweet  nymph  its  bright  beauti 
ful  form  did  spy, 

She  then  with  kind  anticipation  to  catch  it  did 
try. 

But  to    her    horror,    for    this    creature    she    did 

like, 
As  she  fondled  it  o'er,  at  her   it  made  a  fierce 

strike ; 
And  in  the  ambient  air  near  her,  as  the  same  she 

drank, 
She  could  smell  poisonous  fluid,  both  fearful  and 

rank. 

When  the  little  spirit  found  evil,  in  her  work  so 

great, 
She    gathered    the    drifting  twilight,   of  evening 

late, 
Where  the  rolling  waves  with  the  ocean's  shore 

does  battle, 
And  to  give  warning  to  man  hammered  out  the 

rattle. 


Lingering  Echoes  77 

And     while     the     silent     ages     rolled      slowly 

away, 
The  gentle  little  nymph   watched  closely,   night 

and  day, 
And  whenever  she  found  the  snake  asleep  on  its 

trail, 
She    cautiously    pinned    a    small    button    to   its 

tail. 

So  went  the  nimble  snake  creeping  its  serpentine 

way 
Through  the  floating  shadows,  of  earth's  forest 

nighc  and  day. 
The    quintessence  of  deception  was  the  gliding 

snake, 
Being  so  dangerous,  yet  seeming   perfection    in 

make. 

'Twas    a  very  good  picture  of  painting   on    the 

mind 
Of  man,  when  to  God's  real  ways  then  ignorant 

and  blind, 


78  Lingering  Echoes. 

To  write  that  while  all  things  on  earth  in  har 
mony  ran, 

That  through  this  deceptive  being  came  the  fall 
of  man, 

1     give     you     this     narration     to    more     fully 

show 
How   the  dark    evil  works  all  through  creation 

did  grow. 
It  would  take  too  long  to  tell  how  other  poisons 

came, 
So    I'll    not    go    into     detail    concerning     the 

same. 


Lingering  Echoes.  79 


XVI 

One    element    in     creation,     all    from    nature's 

store, 
To  bring  things  in  order,  I  should  have  told  this 

before, 
I    do    speak    now    of    that    part    of   animal    life 

fear, 
How  it  came  into  the  world,  give  heed  now  and 

you'll  hear. 

Fear     was     of     the     first      attributes      of      life 

animate ; 
Having     entered      the      lower      life,      in    early 

date. 
It      being     a     misapprehension       of       nature's 

motion. 
Moving  for  good,  but    which    caused    a    foolish 

notion. 


80  Lingering  Echoes. 

It  was  a  dull,  damp,  murky  night,   on  a  bleak, 

wild  shore, 
When  the  waves  surged  and  fought,   with  deep 

terrible  roar, 
And  the  wailing  winds  sang,  as  if  mourning  for 

worlds  dead : 
It    seemed   that    dark    confusion    to    chaos    had 

wed. 

The  high  waves  rolling  out  on  this  shore,  so  dark 

and  drear, 
Left    in    the    ebb    a  swarm    of    little    creatures 

near 
The  dark  water's  edge,  but  which  were  full  out 

on  the  land, 
They  all  laid  there  the  whole  of  the  night,  this 

little  band ; 

These        little        beings,         of        the       species 

annelida, 
Huddled    together  on   that  shore,   until'  twilight 

gray ; 


Lingering  Echoes.  81 

And  through  that  night  weird  did  the  wind  moan 

and  the  waves  break, 
Which   caused  these  little  beings  to  quiver  and 

quake. 

So      'twas     that    in     animal     life      the     element 

fear 
Entered — 'twould  have  crushed  these  beings  had 

not  near 
Them     hovered     the     little     undine    spirits,    so 

sweet, 
To  whisper  to  them,  that  the  morning  tide  they'd 

soon  meet. 

So  it  was  that  twins  were  born  that  damp,  dark, 

dreadful  night; 
Though  one  was  the  emblem    of  day,  the  other 

of  night; 
For  fear  is  the  dull   fruit  of  evil's  dark,  blasting 

plan ; 
While  hope  is  the  brightly  shining  beacon   light 

of  man. 


82  Lingering  Echoes. 

I     would     tell     my     story    without    digression 

making, 
For      it     is     the      thread      so     often     abruptly 

breaking, 
But  I  see  by  your  face  that  they  do  not  displease 

you, 
So    I    may    still    continue    the    same,     my  story 

through. 


Lingering  Echoes.  83 


XVII 
I   have    now    told    you    how    life    in    the    water 

began, 
As  through    the  slowly  passing  ages  it   upward 

ran ; 
And     how    beings    became    amphibious    on    the 

land, 
Which  so  far    has    been    close    along    the    great 

ocean's  strand. 

Necessity     is      a      great       factor      in     building 

life, 
In  the    animal   kingdom,    hence    the   ocean  was 

rife 
With     animate     beings,     as     the     ever     rolling 

wave, 
On    noiseless    wheels,    to    helpless    beings    food 

freely  gave. 


82  Lingering  Echoes. 

I     would     tell     my     story    without    digression 

making, 
For      it     is     the      thread     so     often     abruptly 

breaking, 
But  I  see  by  your  face  that  they  do  not  displease 

you, 
So    I    may    still    continue    the    same,     my  story 

through. 


Lingering  Echoes.  83 


XVII 

I   have    now    told    you    how    life    in    the    water 

began, 
As  through    the  slowly  passing  ages  it   upward 

ran ; 
And     how    beings    became    amphibious    on    the 

land, 
Which  so  far    has    been    close    along    the    great 

ocean's  strand. 

Necessity     is      a      great       factor      in     building 

life, 
In  the    animal   kingdom,    hence    the   ocean  was 

rife 
With     animate     beings,     as     the     ever     rolling 

wave, 
On    noiseless    wheels,    to    helpless    beings    food 

freely  gave. 


84  lingering  Echoes. 

So     life     could     exist     in     the     silent     restless 

ocean, 
In    beings    without    beak,    claw,    or    any    great 

motion  : 
Such  was  the  first   life    created,    the    waters    to 

fill, 
During    the    slow    gliding    ages,    so    silent    and 

still. 


in    this    new    life,    as    it    did    amphibious 

stand, 
Began  to    grow    beings    to    meet    conditions    on 

land. 
I  will  not  give  the  order  in  which  beings  were 

made, 
But  just  mention  a  few  of  some  special  kind  and 

grade. 

One    bright    sunny    morning    when    all    nature 

seemed  gay, 
There  were  no  months  at  that  time,  but   now  we 

call  it  May, 


Lingering  Echoes  85 

The  quaint  workers  came  together,  so  gentle  and 

kind, 
Wishing  to  build  higher  life,  if  a  way  they  could 

find. 

After    consulting    together,     each    with    smiling 

face, 
They  clasped  chubby  hands  in  parting,  with  real 

good  grace, 
Then  the  air  was  all  in  a    flutter,    with   unseen 

wings, 
And   with  sweet  singing — seeming  yet  the  echo 

rings. 

They  had    their    hearts    with    sweet    enthusiasm 

stirred, 
And  so  now  they  were  aiming  to  make  a  pretty 

bird. 
To  say  to  you  here  the  plain  truth,   will  not  be 

amiss, 
That  is,  that  birds,  in  crude  form,  existed  before 

this. 


86  Lingering  Echoes. 

All  life  grew  through  the  slow  unwinding  laby 
rinth  of  time, 

By  silent  unfolding  of  God's  laws,  grandly 
sublime. 

The  outline  of  each  leaf  was  penciled  in 
Heaven, 

A.nd  there  laws  laid  down  its  nature  with  life  to 
leaven. 

But  what  makes    it    all  so  ravishing  to  mind  of 

man, 
Is  the  gradual  upbuilding  through    the  evolving 

plan  : 
O,     infinite    eternal    mind,     how    thrilling     the 

thought, 
Of  building  life  in  passing  time,  through  decay 

and  rot. 

O,  beautiful    angel    sweet,  •  with    gentle    smiling 

face, 
Who  softly  holds  the  gosamer   veil,    with    such 

modest  grace, 


Lingering  Echoes  87 

That  hides  the  hand  wherein  all  this  power  does 

abide, 
When  will  you  with  your  sweet  breath,  blow  the 

curtain  aside? 

You  say  sweet  nymph,  that  would  in  you  dere 
liction  make, 

Then  step  aside,  and  let  that  zephyr  the  curtain 
shake, 

That  I  may  see  the  omnipotent  eternal 
hand, 

Which  through  the  passing  aeons  wrought  these 
works  ir.  the  land. 

Then  the  stranger  raised    his   eyes  as  he  gently 

said, 
That  nymph  stands  there,  relieved  by  others  in 

her  stead, 
Through  all    the    passing    ages,   in  their  proper 

groove , 
And,  though  by  me  so  kindly  urged,  she  will  not 

move. 


88  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then  a  soft    faint  drifting    flush    the  stranger's 

face  o'er -spread ; 
And  then  with  deep  earnest  meaning  he  fervent - 

said : 
Father  forgive  me,    why    should    I  complain  or 

repine ; 
As    this    angel  does  her  duty,  teach    me   to    do 

mine. 

I  will  (the  stranger  said)   to  show  the  truth  now 

say, 
That  I  do  not  know  the  Heavenly   Father's  true 

way 
Of  building  life;    but    just    as    'tis    revealed    to 

me 
The  Father's  great  wisdom   in  part  I  can   dimly 

see. 

I  can  see  that  guard,  as  her  curls  in  the  zephyrs 

fly, 
Her   blithe    form    dimly    outlined    I    can    easily 

spy, 


Lingering  Echoes.  89 

As  she  holds  the  curtain  'gainst  the  zepyrs  with 

soft    hand, 
And  though  dim,  shadowy  and  partial,  'tis  surely 

grand. 

Just  why  that  angel  stands  there,  like  an  eternal 

seal, 
And  with  chubby  hands  holds  down  the  veil  that 

does  conceal 
From  mortal  view  the  world  from  which  no  voice 

does  respond, 
To  earthly  wails  of  grief,  I  know  not,  nor  what's 

beyond. 

One  thing  I  do  know,  whether  we  pass  through 

woe  or  weal, 
That    God    is    to    mankind,    himself    trying    to 

reveal : 
Then  that  is  a  clue  to  why  he  hides  that  sweet 

bright  land, 
In      this,      the      Father,      mortals      could      not 

understand. 


90  Lingering  Echoes. 

As  to  why  there's  no  response  to  cry  of  earthly 

grief, 
I     have     my     full     opinion,      and      substantial 

belief: 
It  is  founded  on  a  sweet  song,   caught  from  the 

muse's  lyre, 
The  substance    is,    God  wants  souls  tried  as  if 

by  fire. 

But  now  to  listen   to    me    yon    have   been    very 

kind, 
Though  I've  wandered  somewhat,  my  thread  I'll 

try  to  find ; 
And  then  continue  my  story  from  where  I  broke 

away, 
And  try  from  the  main  subject  not  too  far  off  to 

stray. 

Some  of  the  workers  went  to  the  ocean's  silent 

depth, 
Then  there  among  its  noiseless  recesses  calmly 

crept, 


Lingering  Echoes  91 

And    gathered    the    dim   outline    of    all   life    yet 

made, 
Merging  in  the  bird   life,  through  slow  step,   of 

each  kind  and  grade. 

What    nature    once    creates,    its    form    never    is 

lost, 
But  still  remains,    if  but  dim,    by    rolling    time 

tossed : 
So  it  was  that  these  shadowy  outlines  they  did 

bring, 
These    noiseless    builders,     freely    as    they    did 

sweetly  sing. 

This  substance  was  to  build  the  crude  form    of 

the  creature, 
It    consisted    of    bird  life    of    each    kind     and 

feature. 
For  new    life    picks  up  the  masks,   which  have 

been  left  behind, 
By    all  beings  made   before,  of  every  grade  and 

kind. 


92  hingefing  Echoes. 

The    little    monad    puts    them    on,    pins    them 

together, 
Through  cycling  time,  with  touch  as  downy  as  a 

feather; 
Then     when      'tis     no      longer      necessary      to 

conceal, 
The  blithe  monad  tears  off  the  mask,  new  life  to 

reveal. 

Some    of    the    workers    went,    just    after    rainy 

weather, 
To  the  fleecy    clouds,    for  substance  to  make  a 

feather : 
For  just  after  rain  the  clouds  are  very  pure  and 

light, 
And  in  their    soft    fleecy    folds    they    made    the 

feather  white. 

Others  on  quivering  wings,  as  fast  as  they  could 

fly, 

Sailed      upward,       to      the      bright      cerulean 
sky, 


Lingering  Echoes.  93 

And  in  that  arched  vault  they  worked,  nor  weary 

grew. 
With  hammer  and    chisel,    till    they    made    the 

feather  blue. 

Some  went  along  the  rugged  ascent  of 
creation, 

Where  all  was  strife  for  life,  and  no  self 
abnegation, 

There  found  some  being's  dying  groans,  quiver 
ing  in  air, 

Placing  them  in  necessity's  store,  they  crystalized 
there. 

When  the  nymphs  had  found  all  of  these  for  the 
work  'twould  take, 

Having  gone  back  in  the  mountain  for  quietude's 
sake, 

With  hammer  strokes  echoing  back  to  murmur 
ing  rill, 

There  deftly  and  quietly  made  the  hard  claw  and 
bill. 


94  Lingering  Echoes. 

Others  hied  to  the  storm-cloud,  in  the  dark  star 
less  night, 

So  dark  the  night  it  seemed  there  could  be  no 
more  light, 

And  following  this  sable  cloud,  on  its  rayless 
track, 

Chiseled  out  material  to  make  the  feather 
black. 

Other    parts    were  gathered,    all    in    the    proper 

way, 
For  these  deft  little  workers  toiled  through  every 

day; 
And    all    being    ready    the    work    was    quietly 

begun , 
To  build  a  pretty,   nimble  bird,   through  time's 

silent    run. 

It    is    a   very    saucy    bird,    though    pleasing    to 

see, 
As  it  dances  around  among  the  branches  of  the 

tree; 


Lingering  Echoes.  95 

How  he  came  to  be    such    a    frantic    and    noisy 

bird 
I  will  tell    you,    your    permission    though    first 

preferred. 

Well  then,    it    was    in    a    still    beautiful    shady 

dell, 
The  workers  had  almost  finished  the  bird  when 

night  fell, 
A  less  critical  e}7e  would  have  thought  the  work 

all  done, 
And  gone  off  and  left  it,  a  smooth  course  in  life 

to  run. 

Not  so  with  these  builders,  in  their  work  no  flaw 

is  found ; 
They  laid  their  curly  heads  to  sleep  on  the  mossy 

ground, 
To  wait  the  smiles  of  morning  sun,   on  earth  to 

break, 
So  they  could  on  this    pretty  bird  the  finishing 

touch  make. 


96  Lingering  Echoes. 

The    bird    being    by     the    spirits    soothed,    fell 
asleep, 

While  around  the  scene  did   the  silvery    moon 
beams  creep ; 

Ere  this  he  saw  a  morsel,  which  on  the  green 
moss  lay, 

Which  it  thought  in  nestling  down  to  eat -at  twi 
light  gray. 

The  little  nymphs  in  quietly  tumbling  down,  one 

and  all, 
Unwittingly,    on    the  tempting  morsel   then    did 

fall; 
The  bird  in    the  morning   early,    being    first    to 

wake, 
In  the  gray  twilight  dawn,  his  feathers  did  flaunt 

and  shake. 

Then  he  bethought  him  of  the  tempting  morsel 

sweet, 
Seeing  that  the  sleeping  nymphs  had  covered  up 

his  treat, 


Lingering  Echoes.  97 

He    set  to  work,  at    first    so    calm,    gentle    and 

tranquil, 
Still  they  slept:  then    he  trembled    with    rage  in 

wing  and  bill. 

The  frantic  efforts  of  the  bird  caused  only  sweet 
dreams, 

In  the  minds  of  the  sleepers,  of  gentle  rippling 
streams, 

In  bright  elysian  fields,  fanned  by  the  zephyrs 
o'er, 

On  that  golden  strand,  just  beyond  earth's  bil 
lowy  shore. 

But    not    so    with    the    bird,     as    the    morning 

lighter  broke, 
He  grew  more  frantic,  and  with  rage  he  seemed 

to  choke : 
Then    quivering    in    every    fiber,     in    morning 

gray, 
Centered     all     its     efforts     in     the     harsh    cry 

jay!   jay! 


98  Lingering  Echoes. 

The       innocent       sleepers,        smiling       sweetly 

awoke, 
When  the    loud   noise    on    the    morning    air    so 

harshly  broke ; 
Gently  reproaching  the  bird,  soft  hands  on  it  did 

lay, 
Smoothing  its  bright  wings,  called  it  the  pretty 

blue-jay. 

The  gentle  builders  tried,  in  passing  around  each 

day, 
While  making  more  of  such  birds,   their  temper 

to  allay  : 
But  with    all    these  birds  that  noisy  nature   did 

prevail, 
By  mingling  with  that  first  bird,  as  frantic  he  did 

sail. 


Lingering  Echoes.  99 


XVIII 

I  have  something  here  to  say,  which  may  please 

you  to  know, 
Your  kind  attention  to  what  I  say  I  feel  you'll 

show, 
So  I  will  now  in  words    plain,   and  substantially 

few, 
Relate  to  you  how  the  earth  its  first  sympathy 

knew. 

A  happy  song    bird  singing  sweetly,   up  in  the 

tree, 
Trouble  and  sorrow  in  all  its  life  it  did  not 

see ; 
In  the  fast  gathering  gloom  for  it  was  growing 

late, 
There  came  a  wail  for  a  cat-bird  had  just  lost  its 

mate. 


100  Lingering  Echoes. 

Many     blithe     little     spirits,      ever      ready      to 

aid, 
Came    to  the  sorrowful  bird,  and  hovering  near 

her  stayed ; 
Some    smoothed  her    soft    down,    and  dried  her 

gentle  eye, 
As  about  her,  on    quivering  bright  wings,   they 

did  fly. 

This     longing     desire     to     help    is    a    part    of 

Heaven ; 
But  now  God    would    creation  with  this  feeling 

leaven. 
So  notice  closely  now,  how  the  next  few   verses 

run, 
And  I  will  gladly  relate  to    you    how    that    was 

done. 

When  these  nymphs  had  the  poor  sorrowing  bird 

soothed  to  sleep, 
At  each  other  they  with  loving    eyes    did    slyly 

peep : 


lingering  Echoes.  101 

And  with  hearts  still  full  of  echoes  from  the  cat 
bird's  wail, 

They  straight  to  where  the  sweetly  singing  bird 
was  did  sail. 

Still  the  melting  liquid  notes,  as  they  fell  from 
^         his  throat, 

p 

On  the  air  in    the    fast    fading    light    did    softly 

float: 
It  seemed  nothing  with  this  joyous  bird  could  go 

wrong, 
As  he  filled  the  sweet  breeze  with   his  ravishing 

song, 

The  messengers  hung  on  wing,  full  in  the  music's 

flow, 
Then  turned  all  their  harps  to  the  mournful  key 

of  woe  ; 
And  when  the  bird  its  lungs  with  the  sweet  air 

would  regale 
They  all  struck  their    harps,   to  the  tune  of  the 

cat -bird's  wail. 


102  Lingering  Echoes. 

As  the  bird  drank  the    notes   of    grief,    its    eyes 

partook 
Of  the  look  of    sorrowing    love,    its  little   frame 

shook; 
Its    head    sank     lower    down,    and    its    sadness 

increased, 
Then  its  sweet  song  in    the  fast  falling  twilight 

ceased. 

When    the   morning  in  the  east  was  showing  its 

dim  light, 
This  sweet  singing  bird  arose,   after  a  sleepless 

night, 
And    hearing    a    mournful     wail     not    very    far 

away, 
Sailed  straight  to  the  cat-bird,   and  lingered  all 

day. 

'Tis  not  necessary,  when  these  facts  before  you  I 

lay, 
For  me  to  dwell  much  longer  here  in  language  to 

say, 


Lingering  Echoes  103 

That  as  slowly    drifting  time    all  things  after  it 

drew, 
The  world  through  gentle  bird  life  its  first  sym  - 

pathy  knew. 

So    it    was     as    the    river    of    time    did    gently 

^    flow, 
These  workers  in  the  floating  shadows  of  earth 

did  go, 
With  sweet  bright  anticipation,    and    to    failure 

blind, 
Through  laws  of  evolution,  made  birds  of  every 

kind. 


104  Lingering  Echoes. 


God  wishing  to  make  bright  and  happy  the  soul 
of  man, 

Laid  a  deep  purpose  in  his  great  everlasting- 
plan  ; 

Sweet  harmony  and  soft  music  on  the  earth  to 
bring, 

So  he  tought  the  bright  beautiful  birds  to  sweetly 
sing. 

You  may  have  a  desire  in    your    mind   to    fully 

know, 
Just  how    God    this    happy  boon   did    on    earth 

bestow ; 
So     I     will     briefly,      trying      redundancy      to 

shun, 
Now    in  plain  language  relate  to  you  how  that 

that  was  done. 


Lingering  Echoes  105 

As  time  moved  on  through  gliding  phantom  like 

ages, 
To  give  detail  would  take  countless    millions    of 

pages. 
Bird  song  grew    upward,    slowly    improving    all 

along ; 
And  now  I  will  tell  you  how  God  taught  one  bird 

its  song. 

Some  little  workers- went  along  the  mild  rippling 

streams. 
Where  waters  were  laughing,  in  the  bright  gentle 

sunbeams, 
And     as     aeons     glided      past     each     other    so 

ghost  like, 
To    each    sweet  soft  note  from  the  waters  their 

harps  did  strike. 

Others    to    the    deep    solitude    of    the    mountain 

went, 
And  as  time  in  its  trackless  course  moved,  there 

they  spent 


106  Lingering  Echoes. 

Their  hours  listening  to  the   wind,    soughing    in 

the    trees, 
And  tuned  their  harps  to  each  note,  drifting  on 

the  breeze. 

Then    some  sailed  to    the    great    ocean's    sandy 

beach, 
Where  the  rolling  waves  kissed  the  shore  within 

their    reach. 
And  as  the  soft  falling  notes  floated  on  the  sweet 

air, 
Caught    them  on  their  harps,   and  safely  stored 

them  all  there. 

While    others   calmly    soared  to  the  bright  soft 

blue  sky, 
To  watch    for    the    angelic    messengers    passing 

by, 
And    as    the    white -robed    hosts    sailed    gently 

along, 
Singing  God's  praise,  these  workers  caught  sweet 

notes  from  their  song. 


Lingering  Echoes.  107 

While  some  arose  on  soft  white  wings  to  the 
border -land, 

That  shuts  out  mortal  gaze  from  the  happy  gold 
en  strand, 

And  there,  where  ambient  light  gently  flushes- 
and  fades, 

Caught  the  softly  falling  echoes,  from  elysian 
shades. 

All  these  different  parts  of  music's  harmony 
sweet , 

Any  one  of  which  to  the  human  ear  is  a 
treat, 

These  quaint  little  workers  in  time's  great  store 
house  did  pack, 

As  aeons  passed  each  other,  in  their  noiseless 
track. 

'Twas  a  beautiful  night,   the  moon    was    shining 

bright, 
Each  little  star  was    twinkling,    in    all    its    tiny 

might; 


108  Lingering  Echoes. 

The  shadows  in  the  woodland   were  dancing  in 

the  breeze, 
As  they  played  hide  and  seek,  among  the  nodding 

trees. 

Soft    beams    of    light     were     streaming    down, 

after  sunset  soon, 
As  if  hosts  of  angels    were    chiseling    from    the 

moon 
Shining  silver  prisms,  and  throwing  them  at  the 

sun, 
Trying  to    hide  Aurora,  and  give  the  night  its 

run. 

The  echoes  of  the  murmuring  brook,   o'er  dale 

and  hill, 
Rang  soft  and  sweet,  as  they  answered  the  gentle 

rill; 
While    the    towering    cliff,    and    the    dark    gray 

granite  wall, 
Stood  in  the  silent  background,  casting  shadows 

o'er  all. 


Lingering  Echoes  109 

In   'midst  of  all  this,    on    a    tree,    sat    a    pretty 

bird, 
By  the    beautiful    scene    its    heart    was    deeply 

stirred. 
The  bi»4  then  moved,  as  if  an  unseen    presence 

hung 
Around :   to  see  what  came  near  its    eyes    wide 

open  flung. 

The  presence  sweet  to  see  it  could  not,  but  it 
was  there ; 

For  the  little  workers  were  near,  full  in  the  moon 
light's  glare, 

They  had  with  them  all  the  notes  of  soft  harmony 
sweet, 

Stored  while  passing  ages  made  their  silent 
retreat. 

As  the  bird  opened  its  mouth,  the  sweet  air    to 

inhale, 
While  the  deep  silence  hovered  over  valley,  hill 

and    dale, 


110  Lingering  Echoes. 

The  naiads  struck  their  harps   in  harmony,   soft 

and  low, 
And  the  liquid  notes  down  the  bird's  throat  did 

freely  flow. 

The  sweet  monad  danced  around,  keeping  per 
fect  time 

With  his  little  hands,  his  soft  hair  waving  to  the 
chime, 

While  the  bird,  choking  with  gentle  music 
laden  air, 

Threw  open  wide  its  mouth,  in  the  shining  moon 
light  fair. 

It     grew     enrapt,      as      more    of    the    music    it 

partook, 
Its    whole  being,  filled  with  delight,    trembling 

shook: 
And  while  silvery  moonbeams  were  dancing  in 

the  vale, 
There  came  soft  sweet  notes  from  the  throat  of 

the  nightingale, 


Lingering  Echoes,  111 

So     it     is    the    nightingale    her    melody     does 

send 
Ringing  down  through  the  ages,   blending  with 

the  night  wind; 
As  it  murmurs  soft  and  low,  among  the  bending 

trees* 
Whispering  to  man,  of  the  sweet  bird  he  seldom 

sees. 

Father,  what    must  the  soul    thrilling    notes    in 

Heaven    be, 
Which  float  on  balmy    air    in    elysian    fields    so 

free, 
When  on  this  sinful  earth,   over  valley  hill  and 

glen, 
The  song  of  the  nightingale  you  send  to  wicked 

men . 


112  Lingering  Echoes. 


XX 

Before     I     go     further     in     my     story    I    will 

say, 
And  such  plain  substantial  facts    I   will    before 

you  lay, 
So    that    you    will    then    without    doubt    fully 

understand, 
How  I  know  all  these  truths,  of  Cod's  creation  so 

grand. 

I  have  said  in    my    story    that    my    purpose    on 

earth 
Was  to  unite  great  epochs,  and  to  give  truth  its 

birth, 
Where  I  find  error  deep  wrangling  in  the  human 

mind, 
Concerning  God's  creation,  which  I  do  so  often 

find. 


Lingering  Echoes.  113 

So     far     as      I     have      related     my      story      to 

you, 
All     the     incidents     I    saw     from     a     spiritual 

view, 
While  soaring  gladly  among  other  worlds  besides 

this, 
Doing  the  great  Father's  will  with  ever  growing 

bliss. 

That    is  how  I    know  the  true  facts  concerning 

the  past, 
For  spiritual  life  can  belt,    on    sweeping    wings 

fast, 
The  universe  of  God's  creation,   like  lightning's 

sweep, 
And  see  labyrinths  of  worlds,  made  from  God's 

wisdom  deep. 

But     the     future    is    under    infinite    lock     and 

seal ; 
Nor  will    it  be  opened,  come  what  will  woe  or 

weal. 


114  Lingering  Echoes. 

That    is    to    be    read,     as      the      Galilean     did 

show, 
By  the    Heavenly  Father,  and  for  Him  only  to 

know. 

It     is     to     me    like    light    its    force    on    water 

plying, 
In    whose    clear    shining    depths    I    would    see 

objects  lying; 
But  then  ere  I  can  a  glimpse  catch   ice  does  o'er 

it    close 
And     to     bosom    of    winter    'tis    gathered    and 

froze. 

When  I  pass  on  this  plastic  earth,  in  the  form  of 

man, 
Which  is  according  to    God's    great    everlasting 

plan, 
I     cease     to     exist     elsewhere,      in     his    great 

creation ; 
And    like    others    grow    in    spirit,    through    self 

abnegation. 


Lingering  Echoes.  115 

I  pass  beyond  earth's  dark  shore,   in    the    cold 

arms  of  death, 
Like  all  men,  when  the  body  bids  adieu  to  the 

breath  ; 
Though  I  pass  back  again,  at  the  Father's  call 

to  earth 
And      enter     some     human     body,     at    natural 

birth. 

So  you    will  now  fully  understand,  and  plainly 

see. 
Who  I  am,  my  mission  here,  and  how  I  came  to 

be, 
Then  you'll  understand,  when  I  relate  the  best  I 

can, 
How  I    know    facts    concerning    the    history    of 

man. 


116  Lingering  Echoes. 


XXI 

Creation  working  through  all  these  slow  passing 

ages, 
Moving      life      always    upward,     leaving     fixed 

stages 
Of    creation,     along    the    way,     as    by    laws    it 

ran, 
Toward    the    epitome  of  God's  works  on  earth, 

man. 

vShould  I    attempt  to  show  you  the  labyrinthine 

way 
Man  traveled  in  the  making,  and    time's    great 

delay, 
To  make  perfect  its  work,  though  all  my  time  I'd 

bestow, 
I     could    only  begin  till   Gabriel's  trump  would 

blow7. 


Lingering  Echoes.  117 

These  quaint  workers  came  together,  in  a  shady 

dell, 
Each  face  smiling,  though  solemn,  held  a  secret 

to  tell, 
Which  seemed  too  sacred  for  language,  so  silence 

j?an, 
Until  a  deep  sweet  voice  softl}7  said, "let  us  make 

man. " 

Then  their  gentle  faces  were  calm  as  the}7  all  did 

listen, 
While    the    man}7    soft   eyes    did    scintillate    and 

glisten, 
As     directions    they    heard,    of    development    to 

be, 
From       mouth       of      the      eternal      omnipotent 

Deity. 

Then  quietude  reigned,   a  short  deep  pause  was 

given, 
So    intense,     as    if    from    the    heart    of    silence 

riven. 


118  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then    the    little    spirits    arose,    and    all    calmly 

flew, 
Each  buoyant  heart  aflame,  desiring  his  work  to 

do. 

Of  these  workers  some  went  back  along  creation's 

line, 
Hunting  traces  of  animal  life,  subtile  and 

fine : 
For  each  being  in  making  its  full  tether  had 

run, 
And  left  a  step  to  stand  on,  while  higher  work 

was  done. 

As    life    thus      moved    upward,    like    phantoms 

undressing, 
Leaving    behind    old    masks,    to    the    future    a 

blessing, 
Showing    to    the   scientific     world    footprints  of 

God, 
Wherever  with  its  strong  probe  does  the  mind  of 

man    prod . 


Lingering  Echoes,  119 

'Twas  tlius  the  foundation  of  the  grea-t  work  was 

laid, 
And     all      animal     life,      in     the     great     drama 

played , 
To    build    the    superstructure    of    the    physical 

man, 
Through    the    wonderful    process    of  evolution's 

plan. 

Then  there  was  another  part  of  this  dual  being 

on  earth 
Evolved,     but     from     higher    life    was    it    given 

birth. 
On  the    stage  while  creation's  great  drama    was 

played, 
Twinkled    promethean     fire,    of  which  the  soul 

was  made. 

These     brilliant     shining     sparks,     like    bright 

resplendent  sunbeams, 
Ever    flashing    on  life's  great  action,   in  subtile 

streams, 


120  Lingering  Echoes. 

Hovering,     so    gently,    over    the    first    germ    of 

life, 
Evolved       spiritual      man        during      creation's 

strife. 

And    so    these    little    workers,     during    passing 

ages 
Stored     these    finished    points    of     life's    fixed 

stages ; 
And  from  all  animal  beings,    in    great    teeming 

throng, 
They    gathered    completed    life    and    brought    it 

along. 

During  this  time,  as  the  good  spirits  woiked  and 

sung,  • 
The  forces    for    bad    were    over  the  border-line 

flung: 
As        the        powerful        elements        of       nature 

surged, 
The  length  of  its  tether;  then  was  in   God's  will 

merged. 


Lingering  Echoes.  121 

These  evil    powers,   lashing  o'er,  though  subtle 

and  fine, 
Trying      all       higher       life       to      banish       and 

undermine, 
Entered        in        creation,         at       every       fixed 

stage, 
And  was  then  brought  along,  and  made  a  part  of 

life's  page.     -* 

I    will    keep   the  function    of    evil    before    your 

mind, 
So   that    the    secret    of    its    existence   yon    may 

find: 
And  fully  know  that  God  a  purpose  in  all  things 

had, 
In  bringing  joy  on  earth,  by  triumph  of  good  o'er 

bad. 

Then  some  of  the  workers  went  among  the  flying 

worlds, 
Where  pleasing  forms  of  symmetry  to  the  sight 

unfurls, 


122  Lingering  Echoes. 

And    while  the  worlds,  in  their    flight,   to  each 

other  did  sing 
They  made  form  for  human  limb,  which  they  to 

earth  did  bring. 

While    others    sailed    to    Heaven's    deep    blue 

vaulted  dome, 
While  there  ages,  the  time  to  tell   'twould  fill  a 

tome ; 
Working,     not    being  idle,   nor  doing  things  in 

vain, 
They  made    the    model    for    the    cupola    of    the 

brain. 

Some  watched  for  the  bright  dew  drops,  spark 
ling  in  the  sun, 

And  while  aeons  passed  o'er  brink  of  time,  in 
their  run, 

These  tiny  things  in  drying  of  their  substance 
did  dole 

Small  crystals,  out  of  which  they  made  the 
windows  for  the  soul. 


hingering  Echoes.  123 

Others       unraveled       the      gossamer       of      the 

morning:, 
Taking  the    fine    thread    of    some    leafy    home's 

adorning; 
While  others  found  sunbeams  closely  hidden  in 

the    leaf, 

And  others    took  sunshine  out  of  the  corals  on 
.     the  reef. 

And    some     sifted     bright     sunbeams     out     of 

golden    sunset    cloud, 
As    through    the    evening    sky    majestically    it 

plowed ; 
While  some  in  the  poppy  bloom  found  sunshine 

hidden  there, 
And    on    wings    hanging,    plucked    it   out    with 

fingers  fair. 

While    some    as    ages    passed,    in    silent    hours 

away , 
On   the   closing  of  every  bright  passing  summer 

day, 


124  Lingering  Echoes. 

Just  before    the    gathering   of    evening's    falling 

gloom, 
Pressed    the    coy     hidden     sun -light    from    the 

saffron  bloom. 

So    'twas    colors    were    stored,     as    time    rolled 

along, 
By    the    quaint    workers,   while  singing  many  a 

sweet  song, 
Out  of  which  to  weave  the    web    to    drape    the 

windows  'round, 
From  which  the  bright  soul  peeps  on  objects  of 

beauty  found. 

So       other       material       necessary       to       make 

man, 
According    to    the     Heavenly      Father's     fixed 

plan , 
Was  stored    as    passing    moments    glided    down 

life's  stream, 
Like    many    dim    floating    phantoms,    in    some 

nightly  dream. 


Lingering  Echoes.  125 

And  when  the  proper    fixed   .time  in    its  groove 

had  run, 
By  the    earnest    little    builders,    the    work    was 

begun. 
In  the  shifting  shadows,  close  by  the  murmuring 

rill, 
And  steadily  pushed,  while  cycles  their  time  did 

fill. 

Then  quietly  the  noiseless  soft  hammer  strokes 

fell, 
In  the  beautiful   mossy  glade,   where  spirits  did 

dwell. 
While     the      little      monad       danced       joyfully 

around , 
Always  doing  his  work,  when  to  be  done  it  was 

found. 


126  lingering  Echoes. 


XXII 

Other  forces  a  part  in  this  work    did    stealthily 

take, 
All    of    man's    evil     tendencies    to    evolve     and 

make. 
How  that  was  done  I  will  now  fully  explain  co 

you, 
And   how    from    past    ages    the    evil    tendencies 

grew. 

While  the    spirits  stored  good  material,  man  to 

build, 
And    their    mission    in    the    work    substantially 

filled, 
These    dark    evil    forces,    all    along    creation's 

line, 
Gathered    tendencies    for    bad,  both  snbtle  and 

fine. 


Lingering  Echoes.  127 

Some    of    these    workers,     on    creation's    dark 

adverse  side, 
On  the  dreary  howling  night -wind  through  ages 

did  ride: 
And    drifting    in    the    sneaking    wolf's   den    did 

then  partake, 
Of    its    creeping    vicious    nature,    evil    traits    to 

make. 

While  other  powers  which  did  drift  o'er  the  bor 
der  line 

Of  creation,  and  to  bad  work  their  powers 
resign, 

And  then  sail  on  the  evening  shades,  dark,  lone 
some  and  drear, 

Then  to  the  loathsome  den  of  the  rattle -snake 
did  steer. 

And  there  goaded  the  reptile  till  its  rattles  did 

ring, 
And    then    imbibed    its    nature    to    poison    and 

sting. 


128  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then  while  aeons  from  their  hands  the  fetters  of 

time  shook, 
This    power    to    do    evil    was  written    in    life's 

book. 

So    all  of    man's    nature    for    evil    was    brought 

along ; 
Which  caused  men  to  go  astray  and  live  sinful 

and  wrong. 
Of  some  of  these    predilections    for    bad    I    will 

speak 
Again ;  and  of  how  their  blasting  effect  ruin  did 

wreak. 

Then  the  work  of  the  good  builders  went  stead 
ily  on ; 

And  new  life  on  the  earth  began  slowly  to 
dawn  : 

As  material  for  each  part  was  being  worked 
in, 

And  grafted  on  lower  life,  showing  where  man 
had  been. 


Lingering  Echoes  129 

It  was  a  charming  sight  to  see,  through  the  ages 
dim, 

These  builders  from  the  chimpanzee  arm  make 
human  limb. 

By  working  in  lines  of  symmetry,  which  they 
did  save 

Through  time;  thus  the  past  to  the  future  mater 
ial  gave. 

But    the    most     exquisitely     beautiful     sight    to 

see, 
In  the  work  of  these  builders,  so  full  of  joy    and 

glee, 
Was  while  from  the  coarse  bristles,  these  gentle 

workers  fair, 
Fashioned  the  woman's  long  and  flowing,   silken 

hair. 

So  it  was    the    parts    of    the    physical    man    was 

made, 
By    evolving     process,     from    lower    to    higher 

grade ; 


130  lingering  Echoes. 

According    to    the     all    wise    plan    of   a    loving 

God, 
Man  did  in  making    through    countless,    passing 

aeons  plod. 

And  to  tell  how  each  part  was  made,  too  long  it 
would  take, 

So  I  will  notice  but  a  few,  for  brevity's 
sake: 

Just  to  show  you  the  manner  iti  which  man  up 
ward  ran, 

Through  fixed  laws,  from  where  the  first  crea 
tion  began. 

It  would  have  pleased  you    to    have    seen    these 

builders  coy, 
Though  with  ever  smiling    faces    brimming    full 

of  joy, 
While  noisless  centuries  passed,    though    slowly 

forsooth, 
Round  up  and  so  neatly  polish  the  white  human 

tooth. 


bingering  Echoes.  131 

I'll  add  that  if  one  knew  how  long    God    was    in 

making 
The  tooth,  more  care  of  the  same  they'd  surely 

be  taking; 
As  it  may  please  you  to  know  how  God  teeth  did 

create, 
I'll    some    of    the     salient     facts    of    the     work 

relate. 

On  bright,  gentle  summer  evenings  when  the  sky 
was  clear, 

And  the  hush  of  the  fast  closing  day  was  draw 
ing  near, 

And  the  waves  beat  calmly,  as  to  the  shore  they 
did  roam, 

These  good  builders  saved  bits  of  the  whitest  sea 
foam . 

And  calmly  sailing    up    in    the    bright    ether    so 

fair, 
They  dried  it    on    their    beautiful    wings,    while 

hovering  there. 


132  Lingering  Echoes. 

And  wheri  they  had  enough  of    this    material    so 

bright, 
They  made  the  tooth  as  passing  time  moved   out 

of  sight. 

I    would    not    deceive    you    by    any    act    or    by 

word , 
In     stating     to     you     how      creation     of      man 

occurred. 
All  was  by  evolution,  through    laws   which    God 

did    frame, 
So  it  was  the  building  of  teeth  through  animals 

came. 

As  these  little    builders    their    soft    tiny    strokes 

did  ply, 
The  sweet,  pretty,  bright  monad  swiftly    around 

did  fly; 
And  hanging  on  wings,  but  with    purpose    that 

did  not  swerve, 
He    placed    gently    in    the    tooth    the    quivering 

nerve. 


Lingering  Echoes.  133 

The  bad  side  of  creation,  which  from  dark  chaos 

came, 
Does  a  labyrinth  of  deep  puzzles  in  man's  mind 

frame. 
Therefore  I  will  of  the  growth  of  evil  state  facts 

plain, 
And  may  what  I  here  say  be  to  humanity's 

gain. 


134  Lingering  Echoes. 


XXIII. 

It  is  meet  now  that  I  should  let  the  true  facts  be 

seen, 
Of  the  growth  of  that  being  with  eyes  horrid  and 

green : 
I  speak    of    jealousy    that    much    misunderstood 

thing, 
Which  to  the  human  family  much    sorrow    does 

bring. 

That  blasting   element  in  man's   nature    had    its 

birth 
Down  under    the    ocean,    as    it    rolled    o'er    the 

earth ; 
Among  the   beautiful    fishes,    as    they  there'did 

swim, 
Like    gliding    phantoms,    darting    swiftly,    with 

bodies  trim. 


Lingering  Echoes  135 

One  day  when  these  gentle  fishes  were  in  happy 
glee, 

There  was  such  peace  among  them  it  was  pleas 
ant  to  see, 

When  a  long  nimble  snake  came  calmly  floating 
along; 

'Twas  so  graceful  it  seemed  in  new  life  to 
belong. 

Little  did  these  kind,    innocent    fishes    think    or 

know 
That    on    this    creature    evil    did    its    substance 

bestow; 
And  though  good  it  seemed,    as    in    the    play    it 

took  part, 
That    it    was    very    deceitful,      and     wicked    in 

heart. 

The    snake     knew    that    by    the    fishes    it    was 

revered, 
And    by    actions    the    hearts    of   these    fishes    it 

seared : 


136  lingering  Echoes. 

For  'twould  glide  along  among    them  and    much 

favor  show ; 
Hence  jealously  in  the  hearts  of  these  fishes    did 

grow. 

Had  they  known  the  deceit  in  the  pretty  grace 
ful  thing, 

It  could  not  by  its  actions  caused  a  pang  or 
sting, 

To  touch  the  heart  of  any  of  these  gentle 
fishes; 

Nor  made  a  ripple  in  any  of  their  kind 
wishes. 

Then  think,  oh  man,  in  what  blasting    error    we 

have  trod 
In     imputing      jealousy       to     an       immaculate 

God. 
Let  such    error    be    dismissed    from    the    human 

mind, 
So  that  men  will   grope  no  longer    in    ways    that 

are  blind. 


Lingering  Echoes  137 

Men    of    old    in     forming    conceptions    of     the 

Deity 
Thought  the  Heavenly    Father    like    themselves 

too  much  to  be: 
Not  reckoning  man    as    evolved    through    lower 

life, 
Thereby    becoming     tinged    with    jealousy    and 

strife. 

And  overlooking  the  plain  fact  that    the    God  on 

high, 
As  he  dwells  in  Heaven's  bright  light    while  the 

worlds    roll  by, 
Is  a  God  of  love,  and  to  himself  no  gain    would 

take; 
And  with  pure  unselfish  purpose  works  for  man  - 

kind's  sake. 

L,et  all  men    know    if    a    tinge    of   jealousy    you 

feel, 
And  a  feeling  of  bitterness  o'er  your  heart   does 

steal , 


138  lingering  Echoes. 

That  the  being  on  which  you  set  so    very    much 

store, 
If  true  is    all    yours,    if    not    there's    nothing    to 

deplore. 

If  you  with  a  heart  in  precincts  of  honesty 
dwell, 

That  you  own  that  loving  heart  you  can  truth 
fully  tell: 

For  if  you  sift  its  sentiments  ages  o'er  and 
o'er, 

You  can  find  of  value  in  that  pure  heart  nothing 
more. 

Each  and  every  one  of  the  countless  millions   of 

men, 
Who    through    the    deep,     cleansing     stream    of 

repentance  have  been, 
Come  calmly  dwell  in  the  blessed  Savior's    great 

heart, 
Nor  miss    the    great    love    its    throbs    to    others 

impart. 


Lringering  Echoes.  139 

Then  why  should  men,  when    Christ  is  the    goal 

to  which  we  run, 
Our  model  which  to  build  by,  even    God's    holy 

Son, 
Demand  more  than  pure  honest  love  when  in  the 

heart  found? 
Praise  love  more  when  in  all  hearts  does  its  echo 

rebound. 

So  that  part  of  creation  adverse  to  higher 
life, 

Worked  all  along  the  line  of  building,  bringing 
strife, 

Wherever  it  touched  the  human  side  of  man 
kind, 

And  made  all  men  to  a  sense  of  spirtual  life 
blind. 


140  Lingering  Echoes 


XXIV 

These  forces  drifting  o'er  the  snake's  den  with 
purpose  dire, 

Goading  the  serpent  till  'twas  filled  with  trem 
bling  ire, 

And  absorbing  its  venomous  fluid  on  the  air 
cast, 

Then  bringing  it  along,  harmony  in  man  to 
blast. 

It  was  when  these  quaint  good  workers,  near  the 

ocean's  shore, 
Ne'er    had    they    been    filled    with    anticipation 

more, 
During  the  time  thcj-'d  toiled  doing  the  Father's 

will, 
Were  working  in  great  creation's  slowly  grinding 

mill, 


Lingering  Echoes.  141 

That  these  evil  forces  brought  this  noisome  filth 

along, 
Weird  was  the  time  and  drear  the  deep  moaning 

night  wind's  song, 
Nature's    power    for    bad    goaded    to    anger    the 

waves, 
Till  they  lashed  the  beach,  like  a  madman  when 

he  raves. 

The  work  these  good  builders  were  doing  with 

fingers  apt 
Was  of  such  importance  in  the  work  they  were 

enrapt : 
For      'twas    the    acme    of    creation's     unfolding 

plan  ; 
Sad  to  know,  they  were  making  woman,  as  slow 

time  ran. 

These  gentle  workers  with  life-giving  liquid  and 

brush, 
As  the  evening  shades  were  bringing  in  closing 

day's  hush, 


142  Lingering  Echoes. 

Their   tools  to  the  side  of  a  beautiful  sea -shell 

brung, 
And  stopped  to  rest  that   night    from    work    on 

woman's  tongue. 

Then  these  evil  forces,  mingling  with  the  fitful 

night-wind, 
This  noisome  poisonous  fluid  did  freely  mix  and 

blend ; 
And    while    the    gentle    workers    slept,    in    soft 

dreamy  bliss, 

This    poisonous    laden  night -wind  the  woman's 
•  tongue  did  kiss. 

These  evil  forces  are  wise,  and  subtle  In  their 
way : 

To  help  mankind  I'll  something  of  their  subter 
fuges  say. 

If  they  can  make  an  angel  fall  from  perfection's 
height, 

They  then  lessen  faith  in  God,  by  the  withering 
blight. 


Lingering  Echoes.  143 

So       insidiously      along      creation's      winding 

line 
These    tendencies    for    bad,     with    calculations 

drawn  fine, 
Tinged  great  creation's  noblest  work,   with  fixed 

plan, 
To  widen  the  dark  yawning  chasm  between  God 

and  man. 

Hence    they    leavened  the  tongue  of  the  gentle 

woman  fair, 
With    the    baleful    liquid    from  the  snake's  dull 

loathsome  lair; 
To  sting  and  hurt  humankind,  in  gossip's  way 

so  dark, 
And  make  rankling  sorrow  dwell  in  homes,  dire, 

cold  and  stark. 

i 

I     will     briefly     add,     by    way    of    explanation 

here, 
And  to  banish  from  your    mind    all    pessimistic 

fear, 


144  Lingering  Echoes. 

That  womankind  has  been  much  relieved  from 

that  blight, 
Through  G.od's  spirit,  which  in  time  is  to  make 

all  things  right. 

And     the     stinging     biting      nature    to    gossip 

around 
Only    among    a    few    of    the    fair  sex  can     be 

found. 
And    the    time    is    coming,    through    Jesus    of 

Galilee, 
When  this  baleful  thing,  in  mankind,  no  longer 

will  be. 

There  is  one  thing  to  know,  which  brings  much 

comfort  and  cheer, 
To  the  heart  seeking  sweet  freedom,  from  burden 

and  fear, 
That      is      to      learn      that     the     evil     side    of 

.creation 
Has     no      life      behind      it,      but      is    a    mere 

negation. 


Lingering  Echoes.  145 

Being     a     negative     force,     it    can't     anything 

create ; 
But  simply  blast  higher  life,  by  the  aid  of  harsh 

fate. 
Fate,   thou     misunderstood    word,     ever    darkly 

hanging 
O'er    creation's    border    line,    with    bony  hands 

clanging. 

Thou   art  only    a    scarecrow,     a    hobgoblin    on 

earth ; 
And  exist  in  laws,  that  man  through  trials  may 

have  new  birth ; 
If  man  had  no    will,    what    place    in    creation's 

domain 
Would  you  fill,  and    what    reason    would    your 

actions  sustain? 


146  lingering  Echoes. 


XXV 

I  will  digress  here,  that  I  may  a  few  plain  words 

speak , 
For  I  see  by  your  expression  that  you  full  truth 

seek, 
Of  that  function  in  man  which  divine    purpose 

does  fill, 
It  is  the  God  like  image,   I    speak    now    of    the 

will. 

The    grandest    of    all    divine    great  attributes  of 

man 
Is  the  will,  for    determine    to  do  good  and  you 

can. 
All    great  blessings  coming  in  to  fill  up    man's 

desire 
Comes    from    ever    longing  in  building    to    step 

higher. 


lingering  Echoes.  147 

The  little  monad  stirred  by    the    spirit's  strong 

hand, 
In  days  when  silent  gloom  dwelt  in  shadows  o'er 

the  land, 
Moved     in     its     tiny     cell     higher     in    life    to 

be, 
And  purpose  laid  for  beings  still  more  grandeur 

to  see. 

The  great  forces  of  nature,  when  they  meeting 

man's  view, 
Were  the  means  through  which  pictures  of  the 

Father  he  drew. 
The  deep  sounding  thunder,   wind  and  the  high 

rolling  wave, 
Helped  to  build  because  they  to  man's  mind  new 

life    gave. 

A    desire    to    know    more    of    these    forces    in 

motion, 
Gave  to  man  more    grand    ideas,    and    many    a 

notion, 


148  Lingering  Echoes. 

When    forced    to    completion    did  then  give  joy 

untold, 
'Tis    so    when    through    man's    will    the    divine 

scroll  is  unrolled. 

When  quietly  gazing  up  at  each  bright  twinkling- 
star, 

And  seeing  the  snow  white  clouds  drifting  away 
so  far, 

To  build  like  this  glorious,  grand  and' beautiful 
sight, 

Give  rise  to  Grecian  architecture,  in  her  great 
might. 

To  use  the  will,  to  man,  is  the  Father's  greatest 

Rift, 
Through  its  rightful  exercise  men  do  their  souls 

uplift. 
The  more  we  give  to  others  free  use  of  will  and 

right, 
Then  do  our  souls  the  more  with  radiant  glow 

ignite. 


Lingering  Echoes.  149 

Which  is  proof  that  God's  respect  for  individual 

man 
Is     infinite,     as     laid      in     his     great      eternal 

plan. 
The  grandest  things  lips  can  speak,  when  soaring 

farther  still, 
Over  bright  elysian    fields,    is    that    I    can    and 

will. 

In    that    land    so    bright    and    fair,    with    laden 

breezes  sweet, 
There  will  be  no  wrong  use    of    will,    for    love 

reigns  complete. 
Like    the    pure    and    blessed    Lamb    of    lowly 

Galilee, 
Bathed  in  Heavenly    love,    more    freedom    then 

we'll  see. 

As    aeons    papsed    on    behind    the    curtain    of 

time 
These  good  builders  through  fixed  laws,  divinely 

sublime, 


150  Lingering  Echoes. 

Worked  from  lower  to  higher  life,  through  God's 

great  plan 
And  as  the  sun    was  sinking  westward  finished 

man. 


Lingering  Echoes.  151 


XXVI 

The    good    builders    finished    man    at  even -tide 

late: 
And  then  to    him  in  soft  words,  directions  did 

state. 
How  a  kind  little  nymph  would  pass  on  errand 

that  way, 
To  guide  him  to  safe  lodging  till  the  coming  of 

day. 

Now  this  gentle  messenger,  who  was  doing  God's 

will, 
Knew  not  of    the    purpose    the    builders    would 

have  her  fill, 
In    finding    the  earthly  stranger  comfort  for  the 

night, 
In  a  valley,   where  many  nymphs  dwelt    in    the 

moonlight. 


152  Lingering  Echoes. 

So  the  workers  before  leaving  the  strange    man 

alone 
( For  leave  him  they  must,  on  stern  duty,  ere  the 

moon  shone, 
Whose    gentle    enchanting  rays  were  to  mingle 

and  mix 
With  the  dancing  shadows,  at    time   we    would 

now  call  six) 

Were    particular   to    describe    her    bright  gentle 

face, 
Her  long  flowing  hair,  and  perfect  symmetry  and 

grace ; 
Even  the    shy    little    dimples    in    each    rounded 

cheek, 
They  spoke  of,  and  told  the  stranger  to  hail  her 

and  speak. 

Now  the    evil    forces,    seeing    a    chance    to    do 

harm, 
To      awaken      all      their      energies,      blew     an 

alarm, 


lingering  Echoes.  153 

And    mingling    with    the    howling    night -wind, 

bided  the  time, 
To  sow  the  seed    of    discontent,    the    parent    of 

crime. 

The  stranger  stood  watching,  with  anticipation 
sweet, 

The  bright  smiling  face  of  the  pretty  naiad  to 
greet. 

Her  name  he  was  told,  by  the  little  builders  to 
be— 

She's  watched  for  in  all  ages — oppor 
tunity. 

These    dark    evil    forces    knew  her  very,    very, 

well; 
So  they  hovered  near  the  lone   stranger  in    the 

dell, 
And  saw  her  coming    along,    with    sweet,    shy, 

modest  grace, 
Then  rushing  in  the  wind,  blew  her  soft  hair  o'er 

her  face. 


154  lingering  Echoes. 

The  stranger  saw  her  passing  form  glide  gently 

along, 
But  recognized  her  riot,    nor    heard    her    happy 

song. 
So  he  passed  a  dreary  night,  fear  his  mind   did 

fill; 
As  the  moon  ran  her  nightly  course,    so    silent 

and  still. 

When  she  the  stranger  had  passed  these  forces 

in  glee 
Mingling  with  the    raging    wind,    that    blew    so 

fierce  and  free, 
Put  her  in  a  storm-cloud,  and  hurried  far  out  to 

sea, 
So  'tis,    in    all    ages,    she   can    ne'er   o'ertaken 

be. 


Lingering  Echoes.  155 


XXVII 

So  it    was    the    earth    with    human    beings  was 

filled, 
As,  the    silent    ages     in     time     their     passway 

drilled ; 
And  primitive  man  stood  'midst  nature's  products 

on  earth, 
Of  which  in  all  the  beautiful  land  there  was  no 

dearth. 

All  nature's  efforts,  as  time's  gliding  cycles  did 

run, 
In    creation,    which    was    through    God's    great 

wisdom  begun, 
Were  expended  for   man,    with    prelibation    not 

vain , 
That  he  might  everlasting  life,  through  sacrifice, 

gain. 


156  Lingering  Echoes. 

So  man  was  welcomed  on  the  earth  just  in   time 

to  see 
A  bright  land  of  great  plenty,   and    with    fruit  - 

laden  tree ; 
And  to  hear  the  pretty  birds  singing  sweet  gentle 

songs ; 
As  in  the  shadow  checked  forest  they  dwelt  in 

throngs. 

This     was     the     peaceful     legendary    Eden    of 

old; 
And  so  often  o'er  and  o'er  from  the  mouth    of 

man  told. 
Which  while  a    beautiful    effort    in    the    human 

mind, 
To  know  the  mist-hidden  past,  and    the    Deity 

find, 

Is     but     an     inverted     image,     of     the    future 

life, 
When  man  well  knowing  the  Father,  shall   live 

without  strife. 


Lingering  Echoes.  157 

'Twas  well  said,   "man  in  Eden  good  from  evil 

knew  not," 
But  to  say  he  then  knew  God  does  truth's  page 

darkly  blot. 

To  know  the  great  Father  is  good  from  evil  to 

know, 
From  that  knowledge  of  God  a  co- relation  does 

flow; 
Like  the  gentle  welcome  rain,    which  from    the 

cloud  does  fall, 
Sustains  the  trees,  which  in  turn  brings  rain  as 

they  grow  tall. 

Man's  mind  in  that  dim  age  was  bathed  in  drip 
ping  mist 

Of  ignorant  superstition,  still  man  did 
persist, 

In  drawing  a  picture  of  God,  through  its  shining 
fringe ; 

Hence  the  image  did  partake  of  the  surrounding 
tinge. 


158  lingering  Echoes. 

Man     remained     in    this     beautiful     Eden      so 

fair, 
With    its    soft    murmuring    brooks,    and    gentle 

balmy  air, 
Until    creation    had    fixed    a     step     firm     and 

strong, 
And  filled  the  earth  with  humankind  in  teeming 

throng. 

What  would  be  the  gain  to  man  should  this  con 
dition  last, 

And  no  cloud  of  sorrow  float  man's  vain  wishes 
to  blast; 

To  cause  him  to  know  higher  life,  through  trials 
and  grief, 

When  stranded  on    adversity's  dark,    dangerous 
reef? 

The  Father  looking  down,  the  long  perspective  of 

time, 
Seeing     the     ocean     of     human     life    pass    on 

sublime, 


lingering  Echoes.  159 

In    the    panorama    saw,    like    wave    upon    wave 

roll, 
O'er  brink  of  time,  each  generation  pass  to  life's 

goal. 

To  simply  live  and  die  would    be    a    most  futile 

thing, 
And  could  no  worthy  praise  either   to    God    or 

man  bring: 
So  the  Heavenly  Father,  who  never  does  things 

vain, 
Fixed  laws  which  would  bring  to  man  spiritual 

gain. 


160  Lingering  Echoes. 


XXVIII 

God  ever  works  through  laws,  to  accomplish  his 
desire, 

So  the  new  earth  when  slowly  cooling  from 
molten  fire, 

Within  its  hot  burning  depths,  felt  deep  commo 
tion  grim, 

Which  caused  it  to  heave  and  surge  on  its 
crusted  rim, 

The    effect     of     this     subterranean     force    was 

dire, 
As  the  inner  earth  stored  heat  from  long  pent  up 

fire; 
Like     a      huge     dying    monster,     agonizing    in 

death, 
The  earth  rolled    and    tossed,    as    if   to   get    its 

breath. 


Lringering  Echoes.  161 

This  force  within  the  earth  was  coeval  with  the 

time 
When     all    the    earth    was    one    mild    temperate 

clime, 
'Twas  when  primeval   man   in  this  earthly  Kdei: 

dwelt 
That  this  dire  dreadful  shock,  of  the  trembling 

earth  was  felt. 

Great  consternation  there    was,    deep    confusion 

reigned  ; 
It        seemed        that      .evil        supremacy        had 

gained : 
Little    did  the    terror-stricken    people    think    or 

know, 
That  this  force  would  cause  man  in  spiritual  life 

to  grow. 

Dark  openings  in  outer  earth,  cavernous,  yawn 
ing,  deep, 

Let  the  long  pent  up  heat  escape,  which  did 
upward  creep : 


162  lingering  Echoes. 

Like    fiery    serpentine    tongues    it    still    upward 

went, 
Until  the  inward  seething  earth  its  dire  force  had 

spent. 

Then  the  much  racked  earth,  like  a  fretful,  tired 
child, 

Settled  down  from  its  great  confusion,  now  grow 
ing  mild, 

As  it  tossed  in  settling  down  it  could  plain  be 
seen, 

That  on  its  great  axis,  it.  would  surely  slightly 
creen. 

So  'twas  as  the  earth  settled  down,  in  its  usual 

run, 
It     rolled     gently     o'er     at     an    angle    to    the 

sunT 
Then  chilly  north  winds    blew,   the    earth  with 

frost  to  endow; 
Still  time  glided  on,  but  it    was    winter  solstice 

now. 


lingering  Echoes.  163 

Then  frightfully  howled  the  cold,    hyperborean 

blast, 
Tossing  flakes  of  snow,  as    they    danced    while 

falling  fast. 
The  ice  then,  with  cold -firm   fingers,  the  waters 

did  grasp, 
As  if  'twould    hold    the    gentle  rills    in    eternal 

clasp. 

So  it  was  that  man  from  fair  Eden   was  driven 

out, 
Into      a      new      world,      with      desolation      all 

about, 
By  the  force  of  nature,  through  sorrow  his  way  to 

plow, 
And  his  daily  bread  to  earn,  by  honest  sweat  of 

brow. 

The  kind  mother  who  watches    her    child    with 

care  so  fond, 
To   years  of  adolescence,  seems  bound  to    it  in 

love's  bond  : 


164  Lingering  Echoes. 

But  though   she  dearly  loves  it,    she    knows    it 

best  to  be, 
That    her  darling  child  should  from  her  loving 

arms  be  free 

So  it  was  through  infancy  of  the  great    human 

race 
The  gentle  plastic  earth  ever    held    a    mother's 

place. 
But  when  for  man's  future  she    began    to    look 

about, 
'Twas  then  from  Eden  nature  turned  her  offspring 

out. 

Then  man  began  to  know  trials,  and  tribulations 

sore, 
And  the  lasting  mark  of  sorrow  on  his    face    he 

bore; 
As  in  drifting  flocks  troubles  over   the  earth  did 

roam : 
Which    to-day  in  tramping  bands  they  make  a 

dreary  home. 


lingering  Echoes.  165 

Like  a  tiny  cloud  slowly  floating  the  blue  sky 
o'er, 

Draws  to  its  embrace  another,  then  still  more  and 
more, 

Till  the  dark  hanging  clouds  pour  down  in  tor 
rents  raining, 

Which  cause  the  gentle  rills  much  groaning  and 
complaining. 

So     'tis    with    trouble    coming    slyly      creeping 

along. 
Singly  at    first,     but    then    soon    followed    by    a 

throng, 
Till  the  earth  is    dark    with    sorrow,    all    things 

seeming  bad, 
And  the  heart  so  pricked  and  goaded  is  weary, 

sad. 

The  way  to  keep  troubles  from  flocking  around 

your  door, 
Is  to  look  back  through  the  ages,  to  the  days  of 

yore, 


166  Lingering  Echoes. 

And  see  that  all  things  come  from  God,   for  the 

good  of  man : 
And  know  that  good  will  triumph,  through  His 

eternal  plan. 

Stop  not  at  that,  for  your  work  then  only  half  is 

done, 
L,ook     ahead     to     ending    of    a    work    so    well 

begun. 
To  the  gathering  of  the  sheep    in    the    peaceful 

fold, 
Through  the  shepherd  of    Galilee,    as    so    often 

told. 


Lingering  Echoes.  167 


XXIX 

In    connection    with  this  new    condition    of    the 

earth, 
Which    did    to    stern   demands  on  man's  energy 

give  birth, 
I  will  speak  of  a  subject  which    has  hung    o'er 

truth's  brink, 
Through  long  dark  winding    ages,    I    mean    the 

missing  link. 

I'll  add  here  so  that  the  truth  to  better    see    you 

can, 
That  just   after    the    turning    out  from    Eden   of 

man 
I  came  on  earth,  in  human  form,  deep  trials  then 

to  know, 
Like  men  of  that  age,  slow    in    spiritual    life   to 

grow. 


168  liingering  Echoes. 

With  beings  who  made  the  connecting  link  I  did 

walk, 
And  converse  with  them  by  dull  signs,  for  they 

could  not  talk ; 
Be    not    deceived,    then    I    could    not    fluently 

speak, 
But  like  all  men  caught  words  slowly  in  that  age 

so  bleak. 

I     see     on     your     face     a    look    of    confidence 

shaken, 
As  if  you  were  afraid  I'd  from    the    truth    leave 

taken, 
In    regard    to    living    in    the     spirit     land,   so 

bright, 
Then  coming  down  to  the  earth   to  walk   in    its 

dim  light. 

But  your  confidence  pick  up,  and   then    think    of 

the  time 
When  the  echoes  rang  out,  on  night  air,  grandly 

sublime, 


Lingering  Echoes.  169 

O'er  Jndean  hill — such  on  earth  before  had  not 

been — 
Bringing  tidings,    that   God   had   come    to    dwell 

among  men. 

So    understand    in    any    age,    when    on    earth    I 

dwelt, 
I  was  like  men  of  that   age,   but  its   highest    life 

felt  ; 
Doing  many    things,    through    education's   dark 

error, 
Which  to  do  in  after    time    would    bring    to    me 

terror. 

What  I  did  wrong  in  each  age  do  not  impute  to 
God; 

'Twas  because  I  sought  earthly  things,  and  in 
darkness  plod ; 

For  they  who  know  the  Father,  and  all  his  pre 
cepts  keep, 

Will  not  err  while  here  on  earth,  nor  tears  of 
sorrow  weep. 


170  Lingering  Echoes. 

So  now  back  to  the  subject  from  where  I  broke 

away , 
I  will  gladly  go    and    a    few    brief    plain    words 

say: 
Hoping  you'll  excuse  me  for  making  each  sudden 

break, 
And  curb  your    just    impatience  if  only  for    my 

sake. 

These  beings  whose  remains  were  so  wisely  put 

away, 
Deep  under  the  earth  and  ocean  in  that  ancient 

day, 
Were  much  like  man  in  body,  but  unlike  in  the 

main 
In     that     cavity     fixed     for      storage      of      the 

brain. 

They  walked  on  limbs  upright  with  carriage  coy 

and  shy, 
And  a  dim  flickering  play  of  light  came  from  each 

eye, 


Lingering  Echoes.  171 

As     if      in      their      being      lingered      a      slight 

desire 
To     be     bathed     more     deeply     in    promethean 

fire. 

This  feeling    was    not    in    their    nature    a    fixed 

thing, 
Had  it  been  they  would  have  lived  higher  life  to 

bring. 
For  when  the  flame  of  eternal    life    does    dimly 

burn 
In  the  heart,  God  will    not   that    heart   from    its 

purpose  turn. 

O,  Father,  how  wise  and  beneficent  'twas  in 
thee 

To  take  from  off  the  earth  these  beings  who  could 
not  see 

Thy  face,  through  eternal  life,  on  the  bright  gold 
en  strand ; 

Their  race  on  the  earth,  through  life,  would  be  a 
dreary  band. 


172  Lingering  Echoes. 

How  pleasing  and  grandly  sublime  our  thought8 

when  we  think 
Of  how  silently  the    unseen    hand    removed    the 

link, 
That     joined     the     animal    kingdom   to    human 

life; 
Leaving  only  a  deep  worn  mark,   where  it    held 

through  strife. 

Then  through  God's  great  wise  laws,  when  time 

in  its  proper  swell 
Reached  the  appointed  mark,  that  glittering  link 

fell 
From    its  fastenings,    and    while   countless    ages 

rolled 
The  nymphs  buried  it  while  its    knell   the    aeons 

tolled. 

I  will  now  relate  what  I  should  have  told  before 

this, 
But    to    tell    it    now    will    not    be    very    much 

amiss, 


Lingering  Echoes.  173 

That  is,  how  these  beings  who  made  the  connect 
ing  link 

Passed  into  the  dark  hidden  abyss,  o'er  time's 
brink. 

Animal     life     is     evolved     by     laws,      through 

ages, 
Of  the  progress  of  the  fittest;    thus  while  strife 

rages 
The  weaker  fall ;  so  in  that  age  these  beings  with 

•  less  brain 
Than  man,  fell  back  before    him    in    life's    hard 

push  and  strain. 

Being  above    animals    they   could    not    live  like 

them, 
And  could  not  stand  before  the  new  elements  so 

grim, 
So  they  disputed  man's  right  to  subsist  on  earth's 

store 
Of  nature's  products,  hence  the  race    existed    no 

more. 


174  lingering  Echoes. 

You  say  why  should  this  great  subject  be  by  me 

tabored ; 
Because  I  saw    that  conflict:   life's  ship  seemed 

moored 
On  the  dark  dull  strand  of  time,  chaos  seeming  to 

gain 
Supremacy — hear  my  friend  in  progress  there  is 

pain. 

But  then  the  bright  light  from  the  Galilean's  face 

does  shine 
In     on     our     souls,    and     all     dark    foreboding 

undermine; 
Showing  that  in  death  the  spirit  does  higher  life 

greet, 
And    all    that    is    mortal     does    sweet    oblivion 

meet. 

So  when  the  earth  strata  each  deep  hidden  fossi.l 

yields, 
And     secrets      are     known     of     paleontological 

fields, 


Ltirtgerir>g  Echoes.  175 

Down  under  the  ocean,  as  aeons  drop  o'er  time's 
brink, 

Then  man  through  science  will  find  the  long  hid 
den  missing  link. 


176  Lingering  Echoes. 


XXX 

See,  the  young  man  said,  pointing  to  the  silvery 

moon, 
The  morning  sun  rising  will  be  laughing   at  us 

soon, 
As    o'er    that    lofty    towering    mountain    it    will 

peep, 
For  not  taking  from  the  night's  store  our    much 

needed  sleep. 

The    romance    of  these  mountains    I    would    so 

gladly  tell, 
I  must  leave  untold  for  the  time  here  I  can    not 

dwell ; 
But  must   be    far    away    from    here    ere    another 

night 
Rolls  around,  to  let  the  gentle  moonbeams  shine 

so  bright.  • 


Lingering  Echoes.  177 

I'll     come    again     this    way    if    stern    duty    will 

allow, 
And  that  romance  I   will    surely    tell,    that    I   do 

vow. 
I'll  close    my    story  now,    of   man    in    the    ages 

bleak, 
Where  he  embraced  hope,  of  which    I'll    a    few 

words  speak. 

Hope,     that    gentle    hovering,    yet     evanescent 

thing, 
Which  flickering  ever  o'er  the  mind  of  man  does 

bring, 
To       him,       gentle     whispers     of     eternal     life 

beyond, 
Where  he  can  dwell  in  freedom  under  God's  care 

so  fond. 

The    moonbeams    fell    in  streaming    floods    over 

glade  and  dell, 
As  the  strange  young  man's  head  gently  on  his 

bosom  fell, 


178  Lingering  Echoes. 

Then  his  breathing  fell  softly  on  the    enchanting 

night, 
While    he    slept    so    quietly    'mid    this    glorious 

sight. 


Ltingering  Echoes.  179 


XXXI 

And  now  harp  of  the  ages  farewell, 
How  sweet  in  thy  presence  'tis  to  dwell: 
Thy  soft  strain  in  my  heart  still  yet  rings  ; 
Each  lingering  echo  new  life  brings. 

Enchantress  how  sweet  thy  music  falls 
On  my  ear — but  now  stern  duty  calls — 
In  passing  years  my  love  for  thee  grew  ; 
Again  to  thee  I  must  bid  adieu. 

But  hark,  hear  that  sweet  ravishing  strain ! 
Seems  liquid  notes  from  Heaven  now  rain : 
As  whispers  from  the  future  I  hear, 
But  farewell — though  it  my  heart  does  sear. 


CO. 


A     000  847  097     3 


